Kissing the Wind
by mindcaster15
Summary: A master thief bent on revenge, a lonely castle entertainer, a rival who lusted for power, and a land that was torn by war. It was only a matter of time before they crossed paths.
1. Prologue

This has been rambling in my head for quite a while now. In fact, I think this might be the best fic I write, but we'll see. My first Kutau story. I do not own Shugo Chara. Please leave a review!

TTTT

**Because loving him had been like kissing the wind. There were those brief but perfect moments that he was with her, that she never wanted to end. And there were times when he was gone, just like the wind, and she would wonder where he was and what he was doing.**

**Like the wind, it would take time but he would come back to her, wrapping her into his loving embrace, teasing her with his smile and laughing at her with his eyes. Like the wind, she would wonder what things he had seen and where he would travel, but if she asked there wouldn't be an answer.**

**He had been restless, like the wind. A restless boy who had fallen for her, of all the people in this world. And even more odd had been the fact that she had truly loved him back.**

**Like kissing the wind, she had so many dreams. Dreams literally and metaphorically. After all, there had been the dream of them always being together. But like the wind, the dream didn't last.**

**And how could it? The wind wasn't always there, sometimes it chose to disappear. And in a way, her dreams had too. How could they stay without him? Without the love that she could not forget, the love that she longed for?**

**Like the wind. Like Kissing the Wind. Had it all been worth it? All that pain and hurt that had been caused by loving him? She thought so.**

**She had never imagined that it would end this way. With a noose around his neck and an empty place in her life where he should have been.**


	2. Your Neck or Diamonds

**I do not own Shugo Chara. This particular story popped up on my head while I was writing the ending of "Floating Away." Usually I have like a hundred things pop into my head over some little thing, but for some reason I couldn't let this one go. I started planning and…here we are.**

**TTT**

Kukai grimaced as the shackles cut into his skin. There could be no tears though. None, because he had promised himself he wouldn't cry, no matter how much it hurt. He was only six, but he still knew what was happening.

"Mother," He gave a soft whimper. His mother wasn't with him. He was alone now, and the soldiers were taking him far away to a place he didn't know. His father, was most likely dead. His mother was probably gone forever.

All was fair in war.

"Keep moving!" He heard a soldier bark, and Kukai did. He couldn't stop, couldn't stop walking. Because if he stopped, then he was scared of not only what they would do to him, but that he would break his promise and let the tears fall.

And then they had to stop, because the road was barricaded and there was no where else to go. And then the arrows flew. And then people died.

And the only survivor was a young, red haired boy who stood near a creek edge with one name on his lips.

"Shartan."

TTT

_Ten years Later_

Utau Hoshina was the most beautiful girl in the castle. Sure she was a mere entertainer, her job only was to sing for the king and queen. But it was undisputed that she was the most lovely. However, she may have been beautiful, but she was equally cold. It seemed as if her heart warmed to no one.

She had no friends. She had no suitors. She had no family. And to the naked eye, it looked as if she were content with that. It seemed (and only seemed) as if she were happy in her own company, and nobody else was welcome.

But in truth, Utau was lonely. But it didn't stop her from being any less aloof to her fellow entertainers, or any more friendly with anyone who could possibly have become a friend.

Life had disappointed her to much for her to count on friends. Parents? One was gone and the other was dead. Friends? She hadn't had one since she was a young girl. Relatives? None that were living.

And so she had decided that the best way from being hurt, was to stay away from the very beings that could do the damage.

That was her arrangement.

TTT

"Calm down Utau."

"Calm down? You want me to _calm down_?" Utau almost screamed the last words. Leroy Fitch, stared at her with a gaze that was calm and collected. It made her temper rise even more. Her violet eyes flashed dangerously, and her mouth was set in a straight line.

"It's a generous offer. I don't see the problem."

"The problem is that you accepted _for_ me. I didn't have a say in the whole matter." She hissed at him. He didn't show any signs that he had regretted what he had done which had made it worse. Leroy had to be the most deceitful person she had ever met.

And the most handsome. But dangerously so. Thank goodness Utau hadn't swooned like so many of the other girls that lived in the castle. Thankfully, she still had her wits about her.

"I thought you would accept. There is no earthly reason why you shouldn't." His voice was its usual velvet and rich tone, but it didn't work on her.

"I decline."

"You can't decline. You've already made a promise to the king."

"No, _you've_ made a promise to the king. Deal with the consequences." She smiled sweetly at him. His eyes flashed, but there was nothing he could say. She was right, he knew it, and there was nothing to be done about it. All he could do, was politely tell the king that there had been a slight mix up and hope that the king didn't fire him; or worse have him beheaded.

"Can I go now?" Utau asked. Though her face and voice didn't show it, she was tired. She wanted to leave, and her patience was wearing thin.

"I urge you to reconsider."

"I wont."

He sighed. His perfect hazel eyes didn't leave her face, and she held his gaze evenly. He finally gave a resigned sigh.

"Dismissed."

Utau gave him a mock bow and gracefully walked to the door. It took all her inner strength not to slam with all the might she could muster, but she instead closed it softly. And faced the two maids, who were staring at the door with open mouths. Utau realized that she and Leroy had been screaming so loud that they had been heard out in the hallway.

"What is it?" She spat at them. They hurried back to their work, pretending that they hadn't heard a single one of the words that were spoken. But Utau knew better; the news of her argument with Leroy would soon spread all through the castle.

_Great,_ she thought, _Just great. The last thing I need is everyone gossiping about me._

She stamped down to the entertainers quarters, fuming. Her room was down at the very end of the hall. She had no doubt that the others could hear her angered footsteps but she didn't mind.

_They'll all know about the argument soon anyway._

She flung open the door to her room and slammed it shut. It was then that she allowed her tears to fall.

Leroy was the head entertainer, her boss in other words. He was handsome and persuasive, and Utau often thought that she was the only one who saw the darker side to him. Deceitful and pushy, he had way to many hidden motives for her to even remotely trust him.

Today was only one example of his dishonesty. The king has asked her to be the royal families personal entertainer. She was a singer that they were fond of, and Leroy had been asked to deliver the message.

Instead he decided to accept for her.

Well now that she had declined, all this was now his mess. He could tell the king exactly what had happened. It wasn't like the king was actually going to behead him, he was to fair a man to do that. The worst that could happen was Leroy losing his job, and even that seemed unlikely considering how well liked he was around the castle.

In a desperate need to clear her head, Utau threw on her cloak and started down the hall. She would go on a walk, perhaps through the forest. The village was not favored with her, because so many people often whispering the words "Bitter" when she was near.

She walked out the servant's door, and the guards nodded to her. Not to say hello really, but to take note that she had left the castle. The comings and goings of the castle staff and others were always remembered, for safety precautions. So like always, Utau ignored them and kept on walking.

Past the cobble stones that led to the great city capitol. Past the tiny village several miles away from the city. Past the rolling meadows that left the village. And finally into the woods that few entered.

It was her one place to come where she could truly be herself. It was here and only here that Utau felt that she was more then a popular castle singer, and merely Utau Hoshina. The girl with everything, at the same time the girl with nothing.

"I can't believe he did that." Utau finally spoke with a calm voice, her rage now turning into nothing more then frustration. Perhaps she had overreacted, but she shoved the thought aside. Leroy had meddled with her future, so that he would be paid more.

It was darker in the woods, which was natural considering the trees hid the sun. Utau closed her eyes and let the cool silence and solitude wash over her. At the castle silence was rare. Here, in these dark depths of trees and bushes, was her home.

And it did indeed remind her of home. Back when she was younger, living in the tinier forest village, just before the war started. And although the war had only lasted a year, the opposing side had made it count. The village was destroyed. Utau was alone.

Her father had merely been a violinist who longed to do his duty. And so he had joined an army, had gone off to war. He didn't return. They never heard a word from him, and her mother had no choice but to assume that he had died.

And the day that she had stopped waiting was the day that she had died. Leaving Utau alone, with only the talent of being able to sing prettily.

Utau snapped her eyes open. That was enough remembering. She didn't want to keep up the sad memories, they only got into her way. She pulled her cloak closer and trotted expertly out of the forest.

When she arrived at the castle it was in turmoil. The maids were being rushed into one room, the butlers into another, and she too was being swept up into the chaos. She pulled her cloak even closer around her body, as if it were a protective cocoon.

That's when she saw him.

He moved as expertly through the crowd, just as easily as she moved through the forest. Red hair, spiky and messy, but it made him appealing. He had bright green eyes, eyes that were intelligent, that seemed to give the message: _Just try and catch me!_

He did not work at the castle, this she was sure of. She would have remembered those captivating eyes, and she had seen almost everyone here. She locked her eyes with his.

_Are you going to turn me in?_ His eyes asked, dancing with challenge. _Or are you going to play along?_

Utau didn't have a good reason to raise the alarm. But, she mused, she didn't have a reason not to either. Oh the decisions. She turned her head away, and kept walking forward, being rounded up with all the other castle workers.

She glanced back, only briefly. Briefly enough to know that he had slipped through the crowd, undetected. They probably hadn't even realized that he was there.

_A phantom._ She decided. _I'm going to call him a phantom. _The phantom with those captivating eyes.

TTT

"So it was the Queen's favored diamond necklace?" Asked a brown haired, wide eyes maid with a charming smile and equally charming voice. Utau wondered if the girl was an entertainer, but glancing at the maid uniform told her otherwise.

"Aye. Someone stole it." The older maid gave the younger one a look that unmistakably meant _Questions later, work now._ The younger maid either chose to ignore it, or was to silly to see when she should drop a sore subject.

"Imagine, all those diamonds stolen from right under her own nose. She had it on while it was stolen, I heard." The younger girl paused and considered her statement. "Must be some thief to be able to be so skilled."

"Are you going to work, or are you going to jabber all day?" The elderly maid asked wearily. It had been a week since the necklace had been stolen and the chaos had hardly settled down. The Queen was in absolute hysterics.

"Just imagine how close to me he was!" she had gasped with drama laced in her voice. "Good Heavens, he could have killed me!" Her eyelids fluttered, as if proving that she could and would faint in the name of theatrics.

"But he obviously didn't dear," The king had pointed out. The Queen nodded but continued on. "But he _could_ have. It is the principle of the matter!"

"I don't think he was after your neck, love, I think he was after your diamonds." The kind replied with the kind of nonchalance that few people saw in him. You couldn't let the people think you were a laid back king, otherwise they themselves would become the same.

"Almost as important!" The Queen cried.

"Almost as important as your neck?"

The discussion had ended there. In truth, the King secretly admired the thief, whoever he was, at how easily he had taken the necklace and slipped out. True, he could have killed the Queen, but the King had figured out that the person had some morals. It hadn't been a brutal mugging really. Almost like a work of art.

But as king he wouldn't say that.

Utau for her part, never said a word to a single living soul about the boy she had seen. She only told the tree's about him, when she visited the woods again. But people? Well she supposed they could all wait.

Because something in his eyes had spoken to her. She didn't know how to explain it, but somehow she knew that their paths were destined to cross again.

TTT

**Please leave a review. This is off to a fairly good start…I like where its headed.**


	3. The Sweetness of Solitude

**I would like to think all for their reviews. I do not own Shugo Chara. I apologize for the bold and underlining in the prologue, it was unintended.**

**TTT**

Utau took a deep curtsy and then backed down the stage as the curtains closed. She could still hear the applause of the many guests invited to the banquet that the king had thrown. It had been in honor of "Hebilius Day." There was of course, no Hebilius Day. It had merely been thrown to prove to the allying countries that the court was still stable. A thief being able to break into the castle without being caught-or even seen-could turn out to be bad if the other surrounding countries took it to be a sign of weakness.

The Queen was currently talking to the Duchess of Lordenburg. "As you see my necklace is around my neck. I don't know who started that fanciful rumor."

There was indeed a necklace that had resembled diamonds around the Queens neck that she had previously cared so little for.

"I see that. And they're obviously real. I could spot a fake one from a mile away." The Duchess boasted. (The Queens necklace was, of course, paste.)

"It is odd what people will say when they don't agree with their government." The Queen said dramatically, giving a flip of her fan and giving a great sigh.

"Oh don't I know it." The Duchess sympathized.

Utau finally got bored eavesdropping on the mindless chatter that the royalty always seemed to constantly find time to say. Her brain couldn't take the abuse.

She walked confidently down to her quarters, ignoring the curious glances that were directed her way. Her clothing swirled around her, making her feel flashy. She self consciously pulled at the rich purple color that went with her eyes. She immediately stopped.

She pulled up the winding stairs that led to the abandoned tower. Supposedly the castle had once been owned by a ruthless king who was harsh to his people. In need of a Queen, he trapped the young princess of the neighboring country of Tsibar and locked her in the tower.

The Tsibarians were filled with rage. They tried to save their princess through war, one that lasted a very long time. After defeating the evil king, they found the princess dead in her tower. She had died in her sleep. It was unknown why.

That was the story that was told whenever the tension between the Tsibarians and Fandchil people were mentioned. Ever since that time the two countries had hated each other. One for a defeat. The other for a beloved princess.

Utau grimaced. She remembered the more recent war, the one that had taken her father and killed her mother. Thank goodness that was over. The country was still recovering from the harsh losses that it had acquired.

Swinging down the dusty corridor and up the tower Utau couldn't help but understand how the princess felt. Lonely, Isolated and far away from home. And a prisoner. A prisoner in a place she didn't want to be.

She thought of the woods of her old home and how her mother used to sing her songs in the summertime. In the evening she would sit Utau on the floor of their home while she stroked her head, and braided her hair.

She ached for those days. Back when people were dependable and were _there_. But as the saying went; there was no use crying over spilt milk.

Utau stared out the castle window and pretended that she could fly.

TTT

"That's utterly ridiculous. I would rather starve then pay that price." Utau pointed to the meat hanging in the butchers shop. The overpriced meat, that was. Utau was a good bargainer, one that most of the peddlers and marketers feared.

The butcher was new.

"It's the price, take it or leave it." He snapped. He gave her a skeptical look, only seeing a tall and slender girl, probably graceful, with long blonde hair. But it was the eyes that got his attention. Those violet eyes may have been pretty but they _burned._

"It's criminal. I will pay you not a cent over Thirty Three." Utau continued, as if she hadn't heard his earlier comment. She had a slight frown on her face, as if this were an important game and she absolutely had to win it.

"Listen, pay me whatever, but you're not getting more then what is priced."

He glanced up and saw that she had taken the meat down, paid _her_ price for it, and walked out the door.

"Come back here! Thief!" He ran out the shop door screaming his head off. The other vendors looked at him wearily. The butcher had gone mad, it seemed.

"Stop that thief!" He yelled. The vendors looked around. All they saw were the regular customers.

"Raving Lunatic." Muttered the tomato salesman. "Lost his marbles."

They ignored his shouts of criminal activity and got back to their work.

TTT

"I don't suppose I could have been a little nicer." Utau muttered to herself. The Tree beside her listened. Or so she liked to think. At least trees didn't spill secrets. Humans, they were unpredictable. You just couldn't count on them.

"I did make him very angry." She sighed and kicked off her shoes. The grass was cool between her toes. The tree provided shade. If she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the peaceful singing of birds and…

"What are you doing here?"

Her eyes flicked open, and she saw that amazing green color. They belonged to a boy, staring down at her, a smile hidden on his lips.

"You. You stole the Queens Diamond necklace." She paused. "What did you do with it?"

Amusement flashed across his face and he burst out laughing. Utau considered lobbing him over the head with the meat, but she considered it a waste. He wasn't worth ruining a good dinner.

"I break into the castle, slip past everyone unnoticed, get close to the Queen, steal the necklace off her neck and slip out again unnoticed. And then she asks me 'What did you do with it?'"

He broke into more hysterical laughter. Utau watched with some awe and some annoyance.

"Not totally unnoticed. I noticed you."

"Ah. So you did." He leaned back on his heels, his face still showing the traces of laughter. Utau raised her eyebrow. She personally thought that this boy was better looking then Leroy Fitch. Not that she had any experience in such matters.

"And why didn't you raise the alarm?" He asked. Utau shrugged her shoulders. "You were just so good at it. I kind of wanted to see you get away." She believed that honesty was essential.

"But all this is beside the point." She continued speaking before he could take a breath. He rather amused her. But she wouldn't let it go farther then that. To actually say she Liked someone? That was the next step toward friendship, and though it sounded like a lovely dream, that was all it was.

Become friends with a thief and she could lose her head.

"What are you doing here? I've never seen you here before." Utau was suddenly on her guard. It was true, he had _never _been in the woods. And Utau knew everything about the woods. Sure, she didn't go deeper then the creek, but that led to the forest mountains.

He looked more city anyway.

"I live here. Now, anyway. It's perfect and secluded. I like it."

"You cant live here."

"And why not?" He asked, some annoyance stretching on his face. "Its not like you own the woods."

"I'm the only one who comes here. I don't want you disturbing my solitude." He gave a slight laugh.

"From the looks of things, you're in no danger of that."

She wondered at exactly what he meant by that. But his opinion wasn't one that she cared particularly to much about. Just as long as he left her alone. Besides he could be a possible ally…not friend, she reminded herself. Ally.

"If you don't bother me I'll let you stay."

He gave a dramatic bow and kneeled at her feet. "Your wish is my command, Princess. Anything you desire, let your humble servant fetch for you."

She bit her cheek…no she couldn't…she mustn't…she could NOT…but she did. She bust into giggles, the most embarrassing thing she had ever done in perhaps years. They came out quietly at first, and then a little louder.

Utau didn't know it, but what had seemed so loud to her was actually pretty quiet as far as laughter was concerned. But it had been so long since she had laughed that it was a little foreign to her.

The boy grinned mischievously at her. "I see I have finally gotten the princess to smile." He gave another bow.

"Don't call me that." She coughed as she tried to get control of the horrid thing that had burst forth from her mouth. She wanted to take that red head of his and smash it against a border. The pleasant thought seemed to soothe her a little. She had no idea that most people didn't find comfort from images of violence.

"And since we're getting to know each other we might as well exchange names." He carried on as if they had just become friends or something. She seethed on the inside, trying to control her temper. Usually she had a firm reign over it, but this boy seemed to make it difficult to keep it calm.

"That's mighty trusting of you." She mocked. He just casually slipped next to her, pulling an apple out from his pockets. He offered it to her, and bit into it when she ignored him.

"I'm Kukai. And what should I call you, Princess?"

"Don't call me that." She snapped. Then a little more quietly, "Utau."

"Princess Utau," He grinned. "I like it." She slapped him, and he laughed.

TTT

**So…please leave a review…..**


	4. Never Trust a Thief

**Thank you for all the reviews. I am really encouraged by them. I do not own Shugo Chara, however the story plot is mine. I do apologize when my chapters are shorter. I don't mean to skimp out, but it sometimes happens that way.**

**TTT**

_Never trust a thief. He'll slit your throat faster then you can blink._ Her father had always told her this. He had hundreds of things that he had drilled into her head since she could understand words.

_Don't attract to much attention. It's bound to get you in trouble._

_Just because a person is smart, doesn't mean they're trustworthy. _

_Never show that you're confused._

Utau gave an amused sigh. Her personal favorite that had made her giggle as a child.

_Never dance with a Bobcat._

When she was little she had thought that he had made it up just to make her laugh. When her mother had died, she had learned that it held a meaning, it was just one that she couldn't see until she was older.

And she wondered, if perhaps she was dancing with a bobcat. Kukai…or whatever his name was…could very well be the very thing that could ruin her. Utau didn't have to remind herself that he was a thief. And a clever one at that. She couldn't get to mixed up with this "ally" thing.

"Utau." She turned to the sound of her name. She gave a slight grimace when she saw the figure that had uttered the word. Leroy Fitch headed this way. Now there was a bobcat if she ever saw one.

"Utau. I know that your style of clothing is unique to your own…personality, but-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. Utau ignored him and kept walking, feeling anger burn under her skin. What was he going on about now? Her clothes?

She glanced down at her dress. It was a black lace, with crimson roses at the bottom. What was wrong with that? It seemed fine enough to her.

She gave a slight snarl. Did Leroy think he could just _make_ her into the perfect female emblem that he wanted? He could kiss his pathetic excuse for a job goodbye if he enforced some kind of dress code. She knew things about him that he didn't want out in the open.

Had she just suggested blackmail? The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Leroy took it for flirting. A smug look settled onto his face, and a spark of mischief danced in his eyes. He strode quicker, trying to keep pace with Utau's brisk walk.

"So, it looks like you aren't made of stone after all." He cooed. Utau snapped out of her pleasant vision of Leroy on his hands and knees begging her not to tell the king about his shady goings. Her smile had vanished, replaced with the cold and calculating stare that everyone knew her by.

"Excuse me?" She asked, truly bewildered. Leroy was acting different, in a way that she felt she wasn't going to like.

As usual, she was correct to her assumption.

"Get back!" Utau flung his arm away from her back. She viciously bit into his flesh and she heard the shrieking howl of pain that followed. She began to run for the window. Believe it or not, she was quite acrobatic.

_She remembered nimbly climbing tree's when she was a little girl. Climbing high, all the way to the top, and spreading her arms out to fly…_

She gave a yelp as Leroy yanked her hair back. Utau kicked his face and jumped out the window. She just hadn't realized how far up she had been. Grasping frantically at the gargoyle that guarded the castle, she felt the stone give way a little.

_Soaring, soaring, soaring. She had felt like she was soaring. And then she had slipped and fallen down…_

Utau gave a sharp hissing as the gargoyle gave a slight groaning noise. It didn't move, but she had a feeling that its hideous face wouldn't hold her up much longer. In fact, it seemed to be snickering at her from its stony silence.

_Hold on all you want, its not going to save you! _Mocked the stone.

Utau tried to peer up to see if Leroy was going to lend a hand. But _no, _that would be too much to ask for. Heaven knew that if anything was going to happen to her then it had to be difficult. No doubt Leroy was already planning the speech he would give when he "found" her body.

"_Yes, how unfortunate. She had such a pretty voice. Must have been suicide, we all knew how unhappy she was. Never smiled, though I never imagined that she would take her life this way…"_

"Oh give me a break." Utau growled as she tried to climb up the wall. It was to steep, to slick.

"_Catch me papa!" She cried as she fell down. The Tree's braches whizzing past her, twigs snapping viciously at her face._

Utau gave a shriek as her hand slipped from its hold. She felt the wind catch her hair, and her stomach flipped with fear. She thought she was going to throw up, but she couldn't, not in the air.

_Papa caught her, and quickly put her down. There was scolding, then cookies, then more scolding, and a hug, and then "Don't ever do that again!" Her papa gave a firm bang on the table. Utau just smiled and replied "But you'll always be there to catch me papa!"_

_What a joke._

Utau gave a slight choking sound as she did indeed land. But not in the messy death as she had visualized. In someone's arms, strong but they still laid her down gently.

"Papa?" It was so soft that she was sure that the person in question hadn't heard it. When she opened her eyes she found that he was not her father. Of course he wasn't. Her father was most likely dead. And if he wasn't then she didn't want to see his face ever again.

No, this wasn't papa. This was a boy about her own age, who had stormy grey eyes. Her father's eyes had been violet, much like her own.

"Are you okay?" He asked, as Utau began to sit up. He had light hair, and an odd accent. She was a little dizzy and felt incredibly sick. Most females at this stage would be enthusiastically thanking the hero.

Instead, Utau snapped "I just fell from a castle building and you have the gall to ask if I'm okay?"

The boy took a step back, anger clouding his features.

"You could be a little thankful you know! I just saved you from…from a horrid death! You're the one with the gall here, not me!"

Utau rubbed the back of her neck. Visions of herself falling from the tree had confused her. Was she in shock? Did people in shock think they were in shock? She rubbed her head, brushing back the blonde hair that was in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Utau muttered to the boy. "I'm just feeling a little funny right no-" She proceeded to end the sentence by throwing up in the grass. She felt him lift her up, and into his arms.

"I'm taking you to the doctor. Maybe something happened when you were falling-" He didn't get very far.

"You are not taking me _anywhere_!" Utau shouted as she struggled out of his arms. He looked perplexed and unsure of what to do. Good, it would be better if it stayed that way.

"I'm fine. I thank you for saving me…but a doctor will be completely unnecessary." Her body decided to contradict the statement as she hurled once again. She saw the boy approaching her and she backed away.

"What's your name?" He asked in a weary voice. She hesitated, thinking about a very different boy that had asked her the same question not long ago. She had told him so easily…why?

"Utau Hoshina." She whispered quietly. Shock registered on his face.

"Like…the girl who sings for the king and queen?" His grey eyes were bright and fascinated. They scared her.

"No, the other Utau Hoshina." She replied sarcastically. He gave her a wicked grin, and took a step closer. She leaped back, ready to defend herself if necessary. She wondered if she was okay. Usually she didn't feel this edgy.

"Whoa there." He made a soothing gesture with his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you. My name's Malcolm."

_What a stupid name, _she thought with vehemence. She felt her knees wobble a little and was grateful that her dress hid it from Malcolm. If he dared pick her up again then she would rip his eyes out and…

The world was awful blurry.

"I should get going." She muttered. She began to walk away, hoping she would make it to her room without collapsing. Had she hit her head? No…she didn't think so…then what was wrong?

She thought back, and then realized that a piece of the gargoyle had come down with her. Had is smashed into her head? She hadn't felt anything, but that didn't mean that she was fine.

Of course at that very moment Leroy Fitch decided to appear. Even though she felt like she had just gone through a war she still felt amused. He was practicing making a sorrowful and still surprised face, no doubt for when he found her body.

What a shame. He was so good at it.

Leroy made a slight choking sound, as he looked up and saw Utau. His mouthed opened, then shut, then opened again. He looked like a fish gasping for air.

"Why, Leroy. You look like you've seen a ghost." She couldn't help but tempt him. She had once heard someone compare her to a mountain lion. Solitary, but still enjoyed toying with people.

"Utau…uh…what happened before lets keep that to ourselves, shall we? Its not something that anyone else needs to know about." He gave her a charming smile, but she could see right through it. He was nervous.

She knew that he could easily snap her neck right now, but she had just talked to Malcolm and it would be to much of a coincidence for her to be dead soon after. Leroy was smart.

That didn't mean that he wouldn't kill her later.

"Oh Leroy. You're right. It would be so much more fun if we kept this to ourselves." She gave that smile that she knew had always annoyed him. He forced a smile back.

She could tell that she would have to watch her back.

TTT

She woke up seven times that night. She felt so sick, that she wondered briefly if she really should be a doctor. But around the early morning hours she began to feel better.

She began to dress, then remembered what Leroy had said about her clothing. For once, she started questioning if it was really all that fashionable? She snapped out of it. What Leroy thought about her clothing choice was irrelevant.

As she stepped out into the hallway a maid slammed into her. Utau groaned as the smashing headache that she had gotten rid of the night before came back in a sickening wave.

She glared murderously at the maid who cringed under the fierce glare.

"Watch where you're going!" She snapped, then flinched at her loud voice. The headache was so much worse when there was loud noises.

"I-er-I have an-um-message for you." The maid waved her hands in a flustered manner, and it made Utau dizzy to watch. She closed her eyes and paused a moment, then opened them.

"Can I have the message, please?"

"Eh? Yes of course! I mean, oh where did it go?" The maid began to frantically search her pockets. Utau grimaced. The girl was making her head pound even worse then it was already.

"Here!" Utau gave a slight groan. The maid was just so loud….

She snatched the message and the maid scampered off, no doubt heading off to gossip about meeting the infamous Utau Hoshina.

Utau flipped the paper opened and frowned. The message made no sense.

_A Queen of her palace_

_Though its one not known_

_And her servant waits to see her_

_She hears the bells chime_

_And then for a time_

_Answers his pleading call_

What the heck did that mean? Was it supposed to be a poem? It was a pathetic excuse for one. Even she could write better then that, and she wasn't really much of a writer. The person could have at least mentioned some hint of who they were.

She stuffed the message in her pocket, deciding to look at it later. She had practice, then lunch and more practice, a performance…the message could wait.

TTT

It wasn't until Utau was getting ready for bed that the meaning of the message came to her. And even then she needed some help from the bells.

The bells were ringing ten o'clock (like they always did) When she realized who had sent her the obscure and silly message and exactly what the poem meant. He apparently had a flair for the dramatic.

The Queen was her (Utau since she was called "Princess" by him; still to her annoyance.) The kingdom was the forest that she so often visited.

He was the servant, and he was asking that when the bells chimed she go to the woods to meet him. For what? This was stupid. She was going to hop into bed and forget about that wicked thief who obviously had attention problems.

She waited for a half an hour. She still was awake. What did he want…?

Well. If it was going to keep her awake, then she might as well find out. She grabbed a dress and hurriedly put it on, and then angrily stalked out of the castle. She used the secret window that (as far as she knew) was only known to her.

She had never walked to the woods at night before…and she thought it was rather eerie.

The trees cast a darkness like Utau had never seen before, and the limbs grabbed to her shoulders and hair, pulling and yanking and laughing. She could almost feel their breath as she twisted and turned…she felt claustrophobic.

Utau held in a scream as she saw green eyes appear, glowing in the darkness. What creature was this…?

"Shhh. It's okay." Kukai soothed. She realized that she had been whimpering and immediately stopped. She stomped up to him. Her anger was fizzing to amusement, and she had to stop before she actually felt like…laughing or something.

"You're late."

"I wouldn't be complaining if I were you. You're lucky I came at all."

He gave her a knowing grin. "Oh, I knew you would come. You try to hide it, but I can see that you're curious."

She wasn't sure how to respond so she just said "You're terrible at poetry."

He winked. "I thought it was rather clever actually. I'm pleased that you figured it out. I wasn't sure if you were smart enough." She gave him a menacing glare but he just kept on grinning.

He was never intimidated by her.

"Why am I here?" She asked, glancing around the dark woods. It hadn't even occurred to her that this would be the perfect time and place for Kukai to mug her. In her mind, he would have done it when she was in that embarrassing vulnerable moment tangled in the trees.

"I wanted some company. You and I are going into the capitol. There's nothing like sightseeing in the dark."

Utau tried to reign in the frustration. "You dragged me out here in the night just so we can sightsee?" She wished desperately for a watermelon to chuck at his head.

"I didn't drag you over here." He replied cheerfully. Then he grabbed her hand and dragged her (Yes, in the end he dragged her) to the capitol.

TTT

"I don't see why this is necessary." Utau looked nervously down at the street below them.

"What do you mean?" Kukai hopped expertly from one roof to the other. It made her feel queasy just watching him. The memory of falling from the castle still loomed in her memory.

"I mean normal people use a street. Normal people sight see in daylight. Normal people don't rent camels and then let them loose on the street." (She was still trying to figure the last one out.)

"The world would be so dull if everyone were normal." Kukai tossed back as he jumped to yet another roof top. Utau gracefully followed him, but not without her stomach flipping back and forth.

"It couldn't hurt to be slightly normal." Utau took a deep breath. She deliberately refused to look down towards the ground.

"You're very good at jumping roofs." Kukai complimented. Utau felt her lips tug, but she wouldn't let the smile bloom fully. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"I've never had anyone tell me that before. Thank you." She leaned closer to the edge, and shut her eyes when she realized how high up they were. She felt some vomit rising, and she fought it back down. Whoever said that facing your fears was a good thing was a liar that deserved to be punched in the face.

"We're here!"

Utau stopped her trembling and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to show Kukai that she was scared. She had to be brave.

"Where are we?" She tugged her cloak closer around her body. It wasn't cold but she wanted to hide the Goosebumps. They were proof that she was frightened.

"You'll see. Here," He tossed her some rope. She tied it to a clothes line and he happily shimmied down it. Watching him, it looked like the easiest thing in the world. Then again, he had made stealing the Queens Necklace look like the easiest thing in the world too.

"You're turn!" He called.

"I don't know…" She clenched her fist when she saw his eyes dance with that amusement that she was starting to recognize on his face.

"And if I fall?"

"I'll catch you." He said it like it was obvious. Perhaps it had escaped his attention that she had trouble trusting people.

_Never trust a thief._

Against her better judgment, Utau began to climb down the rope. She didn't know if Kukai would catch her, for she didn't fall, but when she reached the bottom there was a certain amount of satisfaction she had gained.

"Okay. Look where we are!" He spread his hands out like he owned the place. She wondered how many wealthy people had tried to kill him in the past, just for this gesture.

"This is…the gardens of Blemeh. And her statue." Blemeh had been the princess that was kidnapped from the neighboring land, the one found dead in the castle. There was a statue erected for her memory and placed in the place where her supposed "garden" was while she had been prisoner at the castle.

"I've never been here before." She said with some wonderment. Kukai grinned. "I didn't think so. That's why I brought you."

"She doesn't look unhappy." Utau mused aloud. Kukai raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean…in the story she's so unhappy because she's kidnapped. But her statue looks fine to me."

Kukai gave the statue a long look before answering. "Perhaps she was hiding it." Utau agreed. She of all people knew about hiding pain from people. Perhaps she should let Blemeh keep her secrets in that shadowy face of hers.

She stayed in the garden with him almost all evening , looking at the other statues and flowers. It was a magical night.

But she never forgot the fact that he was a thief. She knew she still needed to be on her guard. And when she asked about the other sights, he just gave her that knowing smile. "We're going to do one a night."

"Who says I want to?"

"You don't have to come…" And then they would bicker like children.

The next morning Utau woke up exhausted. "This is all his fault." She muttered. "If he hadn't dragged me out in the middle of the night."

TTT

**Okay. So Please leave a review. Also I wanted to say a little about what Utau wears. I considered putting links on my profile, but I decided that it would be a waste of time on my and your parts. So I'm just going to add that Utau wears a kind of gothic Lolita Dress style. If you are curious to what that looks like, go to google and type it in, and it should pop up. She's not really gothic, but I thought that the dresses matched her dress in the show, and her personality in this story. Also, this is a fantasy, so this isn't like England or anything. It is a fake and fictional place.**


	5. Dancing With Murder

_I do not own Shugo Chara. Thank you all who reviewed. The story plot is mine…so yeah…_

_Tadase is only ten in this story, while everyone else is around 14-17. Don't ask why. It just fit. I'm not bashing, he just fit better this way._

_TTT_

"Ouch! Watch where you stick your foot!" Utau snapped. She hung precariously from the tree, trying to get down. Kukai who was just above her, had stepped on her fingers.

For some odd reason, going up had been so much easier then coming down. Especially when Kukai was so reckless. It was like he thought the stony ground beneath them would be padded with chicken feathers.

"I'm never forgiving you." She muttered, as she tried to maneuver her way to a more sturdy branch. The cracking sound that the current one was making wasn't exactly a most promising sign.

"For what? We both agreed to climb the tree, as I recall." He made a grunting sound as the branch leaned down a little more then what should have been necessary. He wasn't going to admit it, but he kind of thought that maybe Utau was right on this one thing. The tree had looked a little more stable then it actually was.

"I'm not so sure that you saw an orange in the tree in the first place."

"Not my fault that you're so stupid you fell for it."

"Please. You merely had my curiosity."

Utau whimpered as a tree splinter sliced her hand. She felt blood run down her arm and she ground her teeth. The pain from a mere splinter was almost unbearable. _How utterly Ridiculous. A piece of wood gets lodged into my hand and I'm suddenly unable to bear the pain? _

She hissed as she slid her hand towards the trunk. Some of the blood splattered onto her face, some getting into her eye. Grunting with disgust, she tried to shake it off her face, but only managed to get some on her dress.

The dress had to be white, today of all days, it was white. The one white dress she owned and she got blood on it. Go figure.

"Are you okay? Because I keep hearing frustrated noises down there." His voice was amused. She might have shared the amusement to an extent, but it was hard to do so when she was about to fall.

Maybe she should say the "H" word. Because she needed some. Help.

"Kukai, I think I'm going to fall."

"Join the club."

Utau gave a slight snarl, as her hand slipped a little more. She wasn't willing to ask _twice_ for help, and she wasn't sure that Kukai could do anything anyway. He was above her. Not like he could catch her like Malcolm had.

Who the heck was Malcolm anyway? She hadn't seen him before in the castle. Gardener? Not likely. Not with those arms anyway. Although gardeners were strong, she didn't think they were _that_ strong. Were they?

Was she really thinking about Malcolm at a time like this? For pities sake, any moment she could lose her balance and fall to her death and she was wondering if the castle had gotten a new gardener.

She blinked in surprise as she realized that Kukai was right next to her. In the time that it had taken him to move down several branches she had moved…nowhere….well wasn't that great progress?

"I have to admit. This wasn't my brightest idea." He searched for a branch to latch on to, and Utau felt the usual anger and frustration that he somehow seemed to bring out in her. Not that she was entirely peaceful when he wasn't around.

"I cant believe I climbed this tree for an orange that doesn't exist." She shot him an accusing glare, one that chose to ignore.

"I do have a solution. I climb all the way down, and then you jump out of the tree. I catch you. Simple." He gave a grin that could be calmed charming. Utau refused to be persuaded by it.

"Absolutely not." She found a sturdy branch and lowered herself onto it. The creaking that the wind made in the trees was unnerving when you were up in them. Inside of her old home, in the village, there was an elderly woman who had always said that it meant that the trees and wind were conversing.

At the moment, that sounded a tad bizarre and creepy.

"Why not? I'm strong enough to catch you, if that's what your worried about." He didn't sound offended, merely informing her that he could. There was no bragging in his voice. No show off nature. Just him telling her.

For some reason she appreciated it.

"I'm not worried about…." Why not let him try? It was either break her neck after working hard, or break her neck falling. Neither of them were altogether appealing, but really, there wasn't many options.

"You can trust me." Kukai added, as he jumped nimbly to another branch. She watched carefully, longing to be able to do that. She figured that fast and silent jumping was one you needed as a thief.

"Alright…if you don't catch me, you're going to wish it were you falling into my arms." Her voice had a slight edge to it, a warning edged that dared him to do anything differently. His bright green eyes flicked to her a moment, then back to the branch.

"I wont let you down, Princess."

"Be sure of it."

There was total silence as he worked his way down. It was as if the birds were watching in amusement, wondering if the stupid humans that had climbed up the tree really were going to make it out alive.

"I'm ready." He called, his sounding odd against the silence of the woods.

"It took you long enough." She huffed, though secretly relieved that she didn't have to stand in boredom on a branch anymore.

"Jump, Princess." He ordered. She raised an eyebrow, but he couldn't see it. Ordering "Princess's" around wasn't really something that was done. But of course, thievery wasn't supposed to be either.

Utau clutched the branch, suddenly aware that if Kukai took one step back, she would be gone. Forever. Her life was in a the hands of a thief. What her father would say if he knew.

She took the chance. She let go of the branch.

TTT

When Utau stepped into the "Office" of Leroy Fitch, her first reaction was…shock. Good grief, Utau was orderly and organized, but Leroy was…she wasn't sure there was a word to describe the spotless room. There wasn't a single thing misplaced. It was as if a human didn't live there at all.

And that somehow gave Utau the chills. They raced up and down her spine, as she thought that a person who lived in this environment had to have no emotion of passion at all.

She didn't show her shock, instead opting to get straight to the point. It would be fastest if she didn't get side tracked by him.

"You requested my presence?" There was just a hint of mockery to her tone, one that was so small that Leroy couldn't mention it. She knew that it irked him when she did this.

He opened his mouth, and then pointed weakly at her. Utau felt that usual burning and bright rush of anger that finger pointing usually brought on. Most of the time, she would stare coldly at the pointer (for they were usually maids and castle workers) and that got the finger back down where it belonged. In Leroy's case she couldn't help but mutter the words "What?"

"You look like you've been dragged by a horse. What the heck happened?"

She had forgotten that she looked horrid. Her white dress had red blotches and rips and dirt was smeared across her face. She had that horrid splinter wound as well.

She felt inclined to answer him. But she would have to be as vague as possible. She did realize that spending time with the thief who the Queen personally wanted crushed couldn't possibly be beneficial to her health or future.

"I was in the woods." There. That didn't give much away. It was common knowledge that she went to the forest fairly often. That should end the whole conversation.

Apparently not.

"Ah yes. The woods that you often visit. And just what are in those woods?"

"Oh you know. Trees. Rocks. Plants. Squirrels." She smiled sweetly at him. Leroy was not amused.

"I meant what it was that you were so fascinated with in the woods that would have you returning there so often." He paused. "But you knew exactly what I meant."

"I don't see how its your business. Now can we please move on? I believe you called me in here for something." She kept her eyes on his, daring him to continue his interrogation.

What did he care? It was his job to make sure she sang, not where she spent her free time. Honestly, this nosy boss business had him dancing on her last nerve. She would tell the captain of the guard that she was being harassed if it came down to it.

"Yes. I'm sure you are aware that the Princess Lulu's Birthday is coming up." He gave her a glance to confirm that she did know. She gave a slight nod. "She wishes to have a masquerade. You are requested as the last singer of the night."

Utau bit her lip to hide a smile. She didn't always like to sing in the castle, but she couldn't ignore the fact that she was pleased. The last song was the one that everybody remembered. It had to special. She would have to find something that had never before been heard in the castle walls.

"Yes. I accept." She raised an eyebrow. Leroy nodded and she left his freakishly clean and orderly office.

Utau turned into her bedroom and stuck her head outside the window. The breeze tugged playfully at her long blonde hair, and touching her cheek softly. It was soothing in a way that she craved.

She wasn't sure why.

Utau changed her clothes, and proceeded to have a mood swing.

Feeling annoyed, and slightly betrayed (she somehow felt as if the wind had tricked her) she stomped outside. Malcolm was there circling around the castle. Maybe he wasn't a gardener? Perhaps a soldier?

His eyes lit on her. Utau bit her cheek, wanting to slam her fist into something. She didn't want to put up with him right now.

He trotted over, a half smile covering his lips. Utau tried to pretend that she didn't see him, but when he yelled "Miss Hoshina!" as loud as a grizzly bear who had been stung by a wasp, she was forced to turn and acknowledge him.

"Yes?" Although she tried, Utau couldn't hide the impatience in her voice. Malcolm chose to ignore it, instead stepping a little closer then what Utau would have deemed necessary.

"Ah! She lived after all! I wasn't sure since I hadn't seen you since you fell."

Utau was fairly certain that if she told him "There's a reason for that" it would be considered rude or socially improper. Somewhere along the line it would be taboo.

"Yes. Thank you. I do appreciate you saving me, but I'm in a hurry." She wasn't really, but she didn't want to spend all her time talking to Malcolm. Even though she really was thankful that he had saved her, there was something about Malcolm's eyes that scared her. The way they burned.

She had heard people say that her eyes burned, and she hoped that they didn't mean like this. Because the way Malcolm's eyes burned reminded her of a fire that was all consuming and couldn't get enough.

It was strange how two opposite things could be equally frightening. Leroy's emptiness and Malcolm's fire. Two very different things that had the same effect on her; fear.

"Very well then. You're perfectly welcome. Anytime you need me."

_Never. _She gave him a slight nod, and continued down towards the capitol.

Utau usually only ever left the castle grounds to go to the woods and to buy her necessities, but today she felt more festive, if that was the correct word. She didn't want to go down the shiny streets where all the rich went.

Today she felt like going down Gypsy Lane. It was where most of the gypsies and more poor people sold things. It was loud and crowded, with booths where you could buy funny little trinkets and jewelry from peddlers, where gypsies would dance in the streets for your entertainment.

The entertainers at the castle had always looked down on the gypsies there, somehow believing that they were better. But Utau knew that if she hadn't of had the voice of an angel (She wasn't being arrogant, in her mind) then it would be she on these very streets doing the very same thing that gypsies did.

There were worse things anyway.

Side stepping a man trying to sell her a fish, Utau gracefully made her way towards her favorite ramen shop. If she ever did come to the capitol to eat, it was always here. She couldn't help but feel a love for those noodles in particular.

"Rima!" Someone grabbed her shoulder and Utau pushed them back with such force that they stumbled and fell to the ground. Her skin burned where the hand had made contact. Had it been that long since she had been touched warmly by someone?

The boy had blonde hair and pinkish eyes. At first glance she thought he was a girl, but when she looked closer she saw that he was a boy. He blushed a crimson color.

"Forgive me. You aren't Rima. Your hair is long and blonde like hers is." When she answer him, he nervously began to babble. "I mean, its obvious now that you aren't her! How silly of me. She always wears her hair down. And its wavy not straight. I feel stupid."

It was obvious that this boy posed no threat. She wondered if maybe he was trying to confuse her. It would be a good trick.

"And your eyes! I mean, I couldn't see them before but your eyes are most certainly aren't hers! Gold are her eyes! Yours are that lovely shade of violet. And your dress…so dark not really Rima and-"

"Do you ever stop talking?" Utau asked wearily. The boy wasn't taking a break. And really, he should have been dead from lack of oxygen by now.

He sat up, suddenly got a regal look on his face, nodded and left. Utau wasn't quite sure what to think. One moment the boy was a blubbering idiot, the next he was acting like a king. Honestly, the world was getting more and more complicated.

"You'll have to forgive him. Sometimes he isn't himself." Utau whirled to face a golden long haired beauty standing in front of her. The girl had a frowning face, and her eyes held no merriment.

"Its fine. I was shocked more then anything." The girl nodded. From the description that she had learned from the boy, it was obvious that she was the girl he had been searching for.

"If you'll excuse me…" Utau slid past the sorrowful girl, and continued down the streets and alley ways. She finally arrived at the shabby little ramen shop, that wasn't very well known. For all its looks, you wouldn't believe what was beneath it all. The best ramen in the world.

But what Utau wasn't expecting was the person sitting at the table near the window.

"You! You cant be here!" She was yelling, but there wasn't anyone else besides the waitress in the shop. He (Meaning Kukai) gave her a wicked grin.

"First I cant live in the woods, now I cant eat at a public place. You're a dictator."

"How did you find this place?" She was amazed and shocked, and with him it was okay to show it. It just was because she couldn't hide it from him anyway. So she might as well just show the world.

"Duh. I lived near here when I was younger." He slurped up some delicious looking noodles. Utau's stomach growled in hunger, begging for food. She angrily plopped down the chair across from him.

"I'll have some of those." Utau told the (rather underappreciated) waitress. The woman nodded silently and hurried to the kitchen behind.

"So you grew up near here?" Utau asked after a rather uncomfortable silence where Kukai just slurped his dinner. It was rather annoying being ignored by your dinner partner.

"In a way, yes. More like I stumbled across here and began to earn my living around that time. I think I was…six?" He shrugged and made more rude slurping sounds. Utau rolled her eyes.

"That was the most obscure explanation I think I've ever heard." She received her own dinner and began to eat heaping mouthfuls of the savory noodle delicacy.

"How about you?" He asked. "Where did you grow up?"

"I was a forest girl."

Nothing more was needed to be said. They both knew that in the war the forest people had been scattered and slaughtered. They were just expendable pawns in a deadly game, one that was appropriate for its time. War hurt everyone.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? Not like you started the war." There was more silence after that. They ate in the silence, the only customers. It was amazing that the shop was still open, considering the lack of customers it had.

Utau sighed, and slid her bowl away from her. She was full, but she felt depressed. A little lonely, but it was a feeling she ignored. It was a given that she would be lonely. She didn't have any friends, to ease the lonesome feelings that were building up.

"You okay? You look like someone just killed your grandmother." His green eyes, usually filled with laughter and happiness looked a little concerned.

"I'm fine." She drummed her fingers carelessly on the table.

"I just don't want to have to sing tonight." She gave an exaggerated huff.

"Ah. I'm busy tonight as well." He shook a stray lock of hair from his face.

"Doing what?" Utau was on instant alert. Indeed, she had a very good idea of what he was going to do tonight."

"Stuff. Don't worry about it." He gave her that carefree smile. At the moment it looked reckless to her.

"Stealing things you mean."

"Shh! Not so loud." His eyes flicked to her in annoyance. She bit the inside of her cheek, wondering what she should do. Could she really just let him steal something and pretend that it didn't happen? Didn't that make her an accomplice?

"There's no one to hear you." She straightened her skirt. Kukai was right to be careful, she knew, but the only person who could hear was…Well that was interesting. The waitress was looking at them with much more fascination then Utau realized was probably necessary.

"More people hear then you think, Princess."

"Take me with you."

"What?" He glanced up at her, to see if she was joking. He should have known by now that Utau didn't joke.

"Are you crazy? No. Why do you want to anyway? You couldn't stop me." The mischief was back in his eyes again. That playfulness that Utau was certain would get him in more then a little trouble someday.

"I was curious to see how you do things."

"You're singing tonight, so you can forget it."

Utau ground her teeth with frustration. He was absolutely right of course. She couldn't skip tonight's performance without harsh consequences. Skipping out on the King and Queen just wasn't a thing that you did.

"How are they by the way? The King and Queen I mean." Kukai leaned back in his chair.

"Well the Queen was in hysterics the first day. The King was "Concerned" and they sent a whole guard after you. Huge reward for bringing you in." Utau glanced at the clock in corner of the restaurant. She should leave.

"I have to go." She gracefully stood from the table and silently walked away. The way she had done it, was beautiful. Sort of like a willow tree that bent easily in the wind but stayed firmly on the ground.

She was no Willow Tree.

There was chaos outside. People were running, Peddlers were closing their booths and scrambling to roll them away. Gypsies were clearing out faster then ants in an ant hill.

"What's going o-" Utau saw the soldiers. They were searching for something-and not being to kind about it. Kukai popped up beside her, glancing over her shoulder.

"Oh no. This is my fault."

"Not that I doubt it, but why?" Her voice was a little tense. She didn't like soldiers, especially ones that were throwing things everywhere in some hot pursuit.

"I picked the pocket of their captain. I took a gold chain, Their probably looking for it." Utau gave him an agitated look. She spread out her arms as if to hug the world, but her face was a vicious and harsh look.

"And _they're _the ones paying for it!" She slapped her hand over her mouth, as she realized how loud she had spoken. A soldier glanced at her, and started heading over.

"Ugh. There's no where to drop it. He'll search my pockets and find it." Kukai searched wildly, looking for a concealed place that the soldiers wouldn't find the chain.

"You _kept _it? Are you stupid?"

She felt as if she had been stabbed. If they found out that Kukai had the chain…and caught him…soldiers were good at making people pay. And she had no doubt that Kukai would pay dearly.

It was his fault, but she couldn't let that happen. Without even thinking about what would happen if _she_ got caught she slipped her hand into his pocket, snatched the chain, and slipped away from him. The last thing Kukai saw before the crowd swallowed her up, was Utau wrapping something in her hair.

TTT

Utau easily picked her way through the crowd, trying to ignore the thrown over tents/homes and booths with crushed wares. But she couldn't ignore the cry of "Leave him alone!"

It was just all too familiar.

She turned her head just enough to see the blonde-Rima?- get back handed. The soldier who had done the deed was standing over the boy Tadase. Rima must have been protecting him.

She could walk away. She could let them take care of themselves. She could.

She should.

Instead, she walked right up to the soldier. She tapped his shoulder, and kept her cool but angry look on her face. The one that made the servants quiver and Leroy annoyed. The one that made people fear her.

Inside she was shaking.

"What do you want!" The soldier raised his hand, as if to slap her as well, but Utau held her ground. Without even flinching, she spoke.

"I don't think the King and Queen will take lightly you harming their castle entertainers." Ice dripped from her voice, almost causing the air around them to freeze. The soldier hesitated a moment.

"If their castle entertainers, then why are they in a gypsy camp?" He was mocking her, thinking that she was lying to him. But she knew tricks. She wasn't a wet noodle to be tossed around.

"What entertainer doesn't have family in a gypsy camp. Fool." She tilted her head confidently to one side. The soldier was weakening.

"And just who are you?"

"Utau Hoshina."

He took a step back.

"I'm, um, sorry. I didn't realize…I still have to check your pockets you realize…protocol you know."

"Of course." She emptied her pockets-there wasn't a single thing in them- and turned around for him so he could see that there was no places she could conceal the chain. She then gave a reproving look at the two shocked blondes who were slightly huddled to the right of her.

"This should teach you not to leave the castle without permission." She grabbed Rima's arm and yanked her up. Rima stared at her with unwavering eyes, looking right back into Utau's.

She then jerked her head at Tadase and they walked away, as Utau fake lectured the two.

The soldier never even saw her slip the chain from her hair and onto the ground.

TTT

**So please leave a review. I know Malcolm seems random and misplaced, but he has a purpose later on. And if you want exact ages of all the characters, just ask and I'll send them to you. Otherwise I'm sure you can guess their ages. **


	6. The Silent Observer

**I do not own Shugo Chara. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Alright then!**

**TTT**

"I cant believe it. I was worried you, you know." Kukai gave Utau a ferocious glare, the first time she had ever seen him with a look that was worried. His green eyes seemed jumpy and his usually happy face was rather pale.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't get word to you before that. And I didn't think you would be worried."

"Of course I was worried! You took a stolen item from my pockets and disappeared into a crowd of people! Not even ten minutes later the soldiers stop searching. My thought is obviously going to be that they've found you! Do you know what soldiers do to thieves who steal from captains! Practically beat them to death! I thought you were in some bloody heap somewhere!"

His eyes were flashing. Utau tried to make a calming motion with her hands. She had the urge to cry, something she wasn't used to doing. It had been…so long since someone had actually …_worried_ over her.

It was a little touching, and if she wasn't careful then she might actually let the tears fall in front of him. She clenched her fists, refusing to let that happen.

"I'm sorry…I'm not accustomed to people…caring what happens to me." She shrugged, trying to let the moment pass on without any more comment. Good grief, why was she being such an emotional wreck? It was just Kukai, for pities sake.

His eyes seemed to soften a little. "Surely you have family, or at least one friend." She bi her lip. Why did he have to press the matter? Couldn't they just drop it?

In answer she gave a shrug.

"Were they all wiped out in the forest?" His voice was quiet, and rather soothing. Utau exhaled slowly, trying to get control over her jittery feeling.

"Yes. Not all of them, but yes you could say that. It doesn't matter how. There isn't anyone left." _Stop now, Utau. Stop before its too late._

Kukai glanced away, up to the sky. She coughed awkwardly. She felt like some weepy female who had just dumped all her emotional stress on the poor unsuspecting person.

"Come on. Let's go." He grabbed her hand (Something she would scold him for later) and he started walking towards the capitol. She dug her feet into the ground. If he thought she was just going to follow him, then he better think again.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked with some weariness. Really, things like this people liked to know. It seemed like etiquette that you tell a person where you were dragging them.

TTT

The Queen stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was a beautiful women, despite her age. She had married the king at a young age, and the years as Queen hadn't been very rough upon her. She had hardly any wrinkles and her hair was barely grey.

She turned to her husband, pouting slightly.

"What do you think I should wear for Lulu's masquerade?" She glanced into her spacious closet, searching for something that she felt was worth the occasion. Behind her back, the King rolled his eyes.

"It's not for several months, dear. Is choosing a dress now really necessary?" He picked up a donut, happily appraising the chocolate glaze that had been spread over the pasty. This was one of the great perks to being king.

"Do you honestly think its that simple?" Cried the Queen, watching him take a bite of the donut.

"There is so much to be done! Months aren't even enough to prepare for such an event!" She ranted. He nodded nonchalantly as he took another bite of his savory piece of dough. Oh how he loved these donuts.

"I have hair to do, preparations to make, a dress to pick out," She continued. Nodding sympathetically, the King took another donut from the plate before him. MMMMM! Heavenly!

"At least we have some of the entertainment picked out. I've saved Hoshina Utau for last, and then of course we'll have dancers and such." Her eyes flicked to her husband in the mirror, and she gave a slight smirk.

"Of course, dear, you'll have to go on a diet. I cant have you gaining weight and not fitting into your new robes and suit." Her eyes focused on the donut. He clutched it protectively.

"But my dear, surely-"

"No buts! Really Arnold, its just for a few months."

"A few months!" He wailed. "This is silly!"

"Did you just imply that my birthday is "Silly," father?" A blonde haired girl entered the room. Her bluish eyes were stormy, and the servants feared her wrath.

She was her fathers pet.

"Sweetie!" He patted a spot next to him on the bed. Lulu gave him an impish smile. It was a well known fact that the girl had a devious side to her.

"Lulu, Your father and I would appreciate it if you knocked before entering." Her mother gave the child a stern look.

"Yes mother." She bit her lip. "I just wanted to have sometime without Malcolm following me. I know he's my body guard…but I'm having trouble getting used to him."

"He's there to protect you." Her mother stated firmly (she was using her Queenly voice.)

"It's an overreaction. Some thief steals a necklace and I cant do anything by myself anymore." Lulu made a slight growling sound, that was immediately silenced by a look from her mother.

"We've had this conversation before. We're not dropping Malcolm."

"How do you know that he's even a good body guard?" Lulu retorted.

The Queen's face twisted a little. The King glanced out the window. "Trust us." He said quietly.

TTT

It was evening by the time they left the day in the city. Utau was tired but she was satisfied. Kukai yawned and set down in the meadow near the village that was next to the forest. Utau heard the crickets chirping, and for once didn't feel like squashing them with her foot.

Kukai leaned back, so he was laying in the grass. The sun was setting, leaving the trees to cast eerie shadows around them. Utua wasn't frightened.

"I can't believe I spent the whole day outside the castle. I never do that!" Despite her excitement she could feel her eyelids drooping. She should go back to the castle. She should go to bed.

She didn't want to. She felt so free right now.

"Tell me. Are you going to do anything besides sing at the castle." His eyes never left the now darkening sky. She could hardly make out his features now. She felt her heart speed up, and she felt hot. The darkness was suffocating her, smashing her into the ground. She hated the darkness…the way you were so blind in it!

She sucked in a breath as she felt a cool hand touch her arm. She sucked in, shocked to feel it.

"Are you scared of the dark."

"Sometimes." She admitted.

"But not of the forest. You are strange." She felt a brief bit of anger at that. _She_ was strange? Did he really have the audacity to say such a thing?

"Never mind. But you didn't answer the previous question."

"What was it?" She really didn't remember.

"If you were going to do anything besides sing at the castle. You must have hopes and dreams."

She exhaled slowly. "How do you know my dream wasn't to sing at the castle in the first place?" Really, in truth, she didn't have a dream. She just wanted to sing. Now, singing was more of a burden then it was a passion.

"Guess I don't."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Utau felt compelled to break it.

"What about you? Surely you didn't want to become a thief as a child." _What were you like as a child? It's something I haven't pondered. You were probably just as mischievous as you are now, weren't you? Probably a prankster. _

_What were your parents like, I wonder?_

"I don't know. I became a thief to survive. I was just so good at it, that it seemed a pity to waste my gift."

The sun was fully down now. She didn't even feel a hint of fear when she was talking to him. The darkness was all around now, but there was nothing to fear. Let the darkness come!

"I guess I have what you might call a goal." This intrigued her. A goal? Something similar to stealing a Queens necklace? That seemed like a worthy goal.

At least for a thief.

"Yeah. There's this man I'm going to kill. Simple as that."

Well. She wasn't going to press that. Dangerous and stupid as it was of her, she didn't hold it against him. If he had wanted to hurt her, there were more then plenty of opportunities for him to do so.

"I assume you have a valid reason?"

"Very valid."

Well, then there was no more need to discuss it.

"You know what I've heard?" Utau said, her voice sounding loud in the very silent night.

"The sound of crickets chirping?"

"There's that. And that the ocean is beautiful at night time."

She didn't know what he was thinking, because it was to dark to make out his features. But…He was the king of sightseeing, especially in the dark so he ought to be all for the idea. And he owed her, since he was always dragging her all around creation.

"It's dark out. We'd never find our way there, let alone back. Besides, aren't you tired, Princess?"

"…Are you teasing me?" She finally asked. She heard him sit up, and she scooted closer to him. She didn't like being that far away in the dark.

"Maybe. Just a little bit." She took his hand and hauled him to his feet. They stayed still a couple seconds, trying to get their eyes to adjust to the dark. Moving in the direction that she (thought) was the great body of water.

It wasn't until they hit beach sand that Utau relaxed. She hadn't been exactly sure where they were going, and now she had to worry about getting back. Oh well. Wasn't much to do about it now.

She had been right though. The water reflecting moonlight was pretty. Perhaps she was being a little girly, she mused. She didn't think men liked things like moonlight oceans.

Kukai gave a smile that she knew meant he was going to do something ridiculous. And she was correct, of course. He threw his hand over his heart, and in a bellowing voice sang "MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN! MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE SEA!"

Utau pinched the bridge of her nose. She was starting to regret giving up her precious sleep for this.

"Don't! That song _always _gets stuck in my head! Ill never be able to get it out!" She moaned. He just sang louder, running down the beach as if he was madly searching for his bonnie.

"Kukai!" She yelled, chasing after him. She couldn't keep up in the shoes she was wearing so she kicked them off. The wind tugged her hair out of pigtails, and she laughed! Yes laughed!

And then, as her luck would have it, she slipped and fell into the water with a giant splash.

"Utau?" Kukai stopped running and glanced around him. There was no answer. He jogged around back to where he last saw her.

"Utau!" He sounded a little more panicked now.

"I am soaking wet. How in the world am I going to explain this?" He turned and saw her standing, wet all over, looking aggravated. He would have laughed if he hadn't been so worried earlier that she had drowned.

"Explain to who? Nobody is up at this hour."

"Wrong. Lots of people are. And my two new roommates will know I'm gone." She held up a hand before he could say anything. "They happen to be these two gypsies that needed a job. I'm letting them stay with me while they work as entertainers."

Kukai raised an eyebrow. Then in mock surprise "You? But you're so witchy! Nobody believed that Hoshina Utau had a soft spot!" He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well don't let it get around."

They began to walk back to the castle. She needed her sleep after all, and there were things that Kukai wished to steal. For now everything was peaceful.

TTT

But what they didn't know, was that someone was watching. Someone who at first didn't see them as important, until he realized exactly how he could use them.

And the fact that an old pal was involved, well Kukai that rascal, he was always getting the pretty girls. A grin played on the man's face.

Kukai and Utau didn't know it, but everything was about to change that night.

TTT

**Please leave a review! This is like a turning point in our story! DUN DUN!**


	7. A Place of Baby Snatchers

**I do not own Shugo Chara. I apologize for the long wait. I do believe in quality over speed, and I've had a lot on my plate. But I hope you enjoy it.**

**TTT**

"I don't think this is a very good idea." Rima said it so matter of factly that Utau felt her eyebrow raise in a way that Rima had come to recognize in amused annoyance. She wondered if perhaps she should have it her tongue.

"I've done this hundreds of times since I have worked here. Now, are you sure you want to question if this is safe or not?"

"No." Rima answered quietly. Utau gave a slight nod and began to climb up the rickety ladder toward the ceiling. She was hanging decorations in the castle ceiling. Even though the party was months away there was so much preparations that needed to be done. Decorations was a top priority.

"Keep holding onto the ladder. I really don't want to fall." Utau coached Rima from the top. She balanced evenly and hung up another feather string.

"I'm coming down!" She called.

"I'm happy. It is kind of scary watching you teeter on that thing." That was _not _Rima's voice.

"Rima!" She snapped, "Why are you not holding onto my ladder? And more importantly why is someone you don't even know holding it?" There was a tense silence until she heard a slightly abashed voice call back "He said he knew you."

"You didn't check it with me. Do you think that when a person walks up to the Kings Guards and say 'I need to see the king,' and they say 'Sorry, but you need an appointment' do you think if he says 'That's okay I'm great friends with the King.' they're going to let him in? No!"

She took a well needed breath.

"That was rather lengthy." It was Kukai. The person who Rima had decided to let handle the ladder.

"How did you even get in here!" She fumed. She already had a feeling that she knew the answer, but she was so annoyed that asking would have just made her irritation grow. Utau clomped down the rungs.

She hit the castle floor, and swung around to face him. Rima stood behind Kukai, her golden eyes observing everything. Utau snapped her fingers and pointed to the door. "Find Tadase. Tell him I need more feathers."

"But-"

"Now."

Rima gave an resigned moan, and slipped out quietly. Kukai smirked. "I take back what I said the other night. You don't have a heart."

He received a withering glare. Though she wasn't saying it, the real reason she was furious was because she was uncertain on whether or not from her height anyone could see up her dress. She doubted it, but the thought made her livid.

"There's no need to be snippy. Here I came to visit you, and you get all upset." He faked a tragic face. Utau felt a smile tug at her lips. It vanished when she heard the voice behind her.

"Who's this joker?"

She turned her head to face a coworker. She didn't know the young woman very well but whenever she saw her, Utau felt her skin crawl. She felt her guard come up, and she became an animal trying to defend herself.

"A friend."

Mira's expression changed from smirking to shocked.

"A friend?"

"You have a terrible habit of repeating what I say." Utau snapped back. She heard Kukai snort behind her. Mira gave them a suspicious glare before she flipped her silky black hair and stomped off.

"No doubt out to tell everyone she knows." Utau huffed. She bared her teeth, and clicked her tongue. Kukai shook his head and tugged at her elbow.

"Don't let her get to you."

"Ahem." Utau and Kukai turned to face Rima and Tadase. Tadase gave her a innocent look before he began to make excuses. "I don't really think that anyone saw me steal food from the kitchen-"

He didn't get very far. Utau was already face to face with him, her violet eyes blazing.

"Did my ears deceive me or did I really just hear you say that you stole food?"

Tadase gulped. Rima sighed.

"You will go and scrub the entire Right Hallway. Never steal food again." Tadase nodded his head like it was going to come off and trotted away, muttering something about relief over not being harmed violently.

"And Tadase?"

He turned, slowly.

"Stop covering for Rima."

He made a yelping noise and disappeared. Rima was nowhere to be seen. She had probably snuck out while Utau was scaring Tadase. She narrowed her eyes into slits and she made a "mmm." sound.

"Preparing for motherhood?" Kukai gave his trademark impish grin. When she turned her icy stare in his direction he felt inclined to add "Rima would make a good thief. She snuck out the perfect exit and did it completely silent."

Utau felt the corners of her mouth lift up, but she was still able to keep her glower in firm. Kukai just kept grinning, as if he knew what she was up too. As normal, his eyes taunted her and sparkled with fun.

"So what is it you're doing, anyway? Everyone is in some kind of hustle." Heglanced at the feather decorated walls and ceiling. Utau made an agitated sound.

"Princess's birthday in a couple months. We're already making it perfect." She blew blonde hair out of her eyes, scanning the walls. She was always grumpy when she decorated.

"I see. Well. Don't let me get in your way." He turned as if to go, and heard her gave a resigned sigh. She tugged at her sleeves of the dress she was wearing and then grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait. Don't go."

TTT

"My visit was really only to tell you that I wouldn't be here for the next couple days. An acquaintance of mine is pushing for a meeting. I don't really want to, but I owe him a favor."

Kuaki's eyes looked behind her, as if he was seeing the past. She bit the inside of her lip, trying to figure out if he was lying or not. It wouldn't shock her to learn that he was tired of her, and would be leaving for good. Humans, it seemed, were creatures that cared only for themselves and not of others.

She just thought he was different. And despite the fact that her mind was screaming at her not to trust or hope, her heart couldn't help but give him a chance.

"Where are you going?" She asked, watching his face to see if he was lying. He rolled his eyes heavenward and then replied "Madue."

A giggle escaped her lips.

"Madue? The place where everyone believes that little trolls and gnomes steal food and that fairies come into their homes and snatch babies? _That _Madue?"

"Yes, that Madue. My friend is very superstitious."

"Obviously. You would have to be in order to live there. Or meet there, or even visit there. And crazy." She remarked.

"Believe me, its not my ideal place to visit." He grumbled. "Small, superstitious towns aren't popular among thieves. Not much to steal, hard to get cover, and no crowds to fall into. Not to mention there's the tight knit community of people who are already suspicious of newcomers."

Utau tilted her head a moment. "It's odd. I suppose I always thought that thieves just snatched when they felt like it. It turns out there is a very complicated thinking process involved."

"It's a shock to lots of people. Only desperate or common thieves steal without a plan." He leaned back in his chair. Utau wondered if he liked living on the edge. He was always doing things that put him in "danger" whether they were great or small.

"Do you even know how to get to Madue?" She pressed. She had a hunch that he didn't, and by the look on his face she knew she was right. She gave a satisfied smirk and he gave her a ferocious glare.

"I was going to get a map."

"It's not that simple." She rolled her eyes. "Madue isn't on most maps."

"Then how am I going to get there?" He wailed. His eyes narrowed. "How do you know so much about Madue anyway." She could have laughed. The way he looked so suspicious, his hair spiky as always, leaning back in his chair. Instead she just smiled knowingly.

"I lived there for about a month." She waited for it to sink in. She then added, "I could take you there, if you want."

His mouth dropped open. He looked hopeful, but at the same time a little guilty. She could tell that he was torn by indecision. Were all males so stupid?

"But aren't you busy? I mean would they let you?"

She wondered if he was trying to get out of it. If perhaps she bored him to death, but something told her otherwise. She just knew that he was slightly concerned. She had never, after all, felt so alive as when she was with him. She stared down into her tea, barely touched. She had told Rima to make it only for the fact that it was punishment for letting Tadase take the blame for stealing food.

She really did care about hose two. Despite the fact that the simplest things seemed to be beyond them at times, and that they were always making her life chaotic, she found pleasure in their company. She was getting soft. Ever since she had started being around Kukai she wasn't as hostile toward people, and found she didn't mind them so much.

She didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing.

"In all the years I've worked here, I've never gotten sick. Leroy has to let me off. I'll tell him that a friend of mine needs help. That slug will throw a fit though." She felt her good mood begin to drain away. Leroy had that affect on her.

"Really? You'll do it?" He sounded like a child. Honestly, as if she had just made the last minute up. He could be so ridiculous at times.

"Wont people say something about a man and a woman traveling together?" He asked her, with large, innocent eyes. She sent him a withering glare.

"Rima and Tadase will accompany us." She paused before she added "And if you ever make such a stupid comment again I'll lob you over the head with a watermelon." He raised an eyebrow.

"That was graphic."

She calmly took a sip of tea. He smiled. "Though really. Thank you. It means a lot." She felt embarrassed. She hated it when people thanked her in such a heartfelt fashion. She wasn't accustomed to it at all.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't have you bumbling all over the countryside."

The thought was amusing though. She would have to let him do it some time, just for the sake of humiliation. It would be absolutely worth laughing at. He did that too her quite often, she noticed. Made her laugh. She never laughed, but he somehow got that noise to spring from her mouth. Perhaps it was what made him a good friend, the fact that he could make her happy even when she wasn't.

TTT

It took about a week for her to pack her supplied (and get Rima and Tadase to pack their's as well) before they finally set off. Kukai was a light traveler. She noted that they had no horses, and she refused to let Kukai "borrow" some for the journey.

"But it would make it so much faster!" He kicked a rock that was on the side of the road. She heard Rima grunt an affirmative behind her. Tadase just murmured "I've never been outside the capitol before."

"You have too." Rima poked his shoulder.

"When you're too little to remember it doesn't count." He insisted. She rolled her golden eyes and kept on walking. Kukai glanced behind him, and noticed that her gaze was leveled in his direction.

"So how do you know Utau?" She asked. She really didn't mean to pry. She was just trying to make conversation so that the trip didn't last as long. Especially since Utau wouldn't let them steal a horse.

Utau shot her a look. Rima flinched. Sometimes it was as if Utau could read her mind. It was insane. Not only did she know what Rima was doing, she also seemed to know what she was doing.

"We met under odd circumstances." Utau replied, giving Kukai a look that demanded that he not give them any more information. Rima groaned inwardly. Though at the same time she didn't mind (Utau was like a big sister) but the reason would make her wonder from now on.

"This is going to be a long trip." Kukai bemoaned.

"Not if we hitch a ride on that thing." Utau pointed to a farm wagon that was going at a ridiculous speed. Pedestrians better watch out for it, she thought. It would run them over and not even look back.

And so their trip began.

TTT

**Please leave a review!**


	8. A Thief in the Night

**I do not own Shugo Chara. I just write for entertainment and because I like it….Again, I apologize for lateness, but as I've said before I want quality over speed.**

**OoOoOoO**

"Look out!" Utau's yell was thrown to the wind, unheard by the driver of the wagon that sped down the road. Beside her she could hear Kukai laughing like it was the greatest time he could possibly have. She ground her teeth and held on as tightly as possible as the wagon flew past yet another unsuspecting person.

She couldn't complain since it had been her idea to hitch a ride on this ridiculous wagon, driven by the half blind farmer who didn't care about speed. Her hair whipped in the wind-undoubtedly tangled by now. It would be a pain to brush out, but she didn't feel quite as bad when she looked at Rima. Her hair was whipping everywhere, it would probably be more difficult to tame then her own.

"This is the best idea you've ever had!" Kukai yelled, before bursting into another fit of laughter. Utau ground her teeth together as they turned without warning and just barely missed careening off the mountain that they were (at a very rapid speed) riding upward. Tadase gave a small and choked cough as they almost plowed over a squirrel.

"I admit, I'm not always right. This could not have ended well!" Utau yelled, trying to conceal the panic as the farmer turned his head to look behind him, not even giving the road ahead a glance.

"Nonsense! This is absolutely great!" Kukai responded. Utau tried to ignore him. Surely he didn't really think that this was fun. He had to have been trying to annoy her, and she would have been if not for the fact that she couldn't peel her eyes off the road.

**OoOoOoOoOo**

When evening finally fell upon them, Utau was more relieved to get off the flying wagon then she was to find an inn. It was alone, on the side of the road, creepy but that was only because it was old. It was obviously open, though there weren't a slew of people there.

Upon entering, they found an elderly woman who blinked at them in something like confusion. Beside her, Kukai groaned.

"I'm terrible with old people. We never understand each other." He looked at the woman with some suspicion. "They just naturally hate me."

"Please. That is just like you."

"What is just like me?"

"Don't be silly. Old people just don't 'hate' you." As they whispered they approached the woman. Rima and Tadase trailed behind them whispering their own conversation. Once they got up to the table, the old woman grinned a toothless smile.

"Oh, aren't you just a doll!" the woman exclaimed upon closer inspection of Utau. She smiled warmly. Utau felt uncomfortable, as if she was being examined by someone who was expecting to win a prize. The feeling was rather unsettling.

The woman glanced at Kukai and her face soured immediately. She shook her head. "No use." She muttered. She was from a foreign country, and her accent was thick. Kukai nudged Utau.

"See? I told you." He whispered.

"Don't be ridiculous. That is just…not possible…" Still, the looks he was receiving from the woman made her think otherwise. Maybe something about Kukai made them nervous or ill at ease.

"We need two rooms." Utau said in a firm voice, hoping the woman would hear over her mutterings. She stared at Utau with pale and unblinking eyes. Once again, Utau resisted the urge to shiver a little.

"Yes, yes. Let me get Yavara to help you. She is my maid and granddaughter." Utau really didn't know what to say to that. She attempted to smile sweetly, but it really came out as an odd smirk. She supposed it would just be best to remain silent. Kukai nudged her.

"I assume Tadase and I in one room and you and Rima in the other?"

"Excellent deductive skills." She sarcastically bit back. He made a face at her, then stopped as the woman turned her gaze back toward him. He really was right. One look and for some reason he was branded as unworthy in the elderly lady's eyes.

"Yavara!" The woman yelled, making them all take a step back. "Yaaavaaarrraaa!"

"Grandma! You don't have to be so loud." A girl about Utau's age stepped from the stairs, grinned at her grandmother. She saw the customers and bowed. "I'm so sorry I did not see you there. I will lead you to your rooms immediately." She gave a charming smile.

Utau took an immediate dislike to her. Perhaps it was the girl's perfect way of turning so acrobatically, or the way her hair was a perfect golden color that looked like the sun itself had landed on her head. Or maybe it was the fact that wherever she turned, Yavara was doing something perfect.

"Here is the first one. The room next to it is the other room, there is a connecting door if you need it." She smiled revealing perfect teeth.

_Of course they are. _Utau seethed inside. _This girl is apparently the picture of perfection._

As if knowing her thoughts, Yavara smiled charismatically at Utau. "I hope you find everything to your liking." Her grin was entirely to triumphant, as if she had won some kind of tournament that Utau had been unaware of.

Kukai and Tadase, who hadn't noticed anything, happily made their way to the two beds in their room. Fuming at their awful case of "oblivious" Utau walked calmly to the other room. Like a dog, Rima obediently followed suit.

"That girl. So…cocky." Rima muttered to herself as they began to settle in. Utau grunted in affirmation looking daggers at the door. She yanked her hair out of her pigtails, winching a little at the pain. She was so mad that the pain was almost welcome. She yanked the covers back, making sure that there were no bed bugs and that it was clean, she slipped in and stuck her head down on the pillow.

Rima glanced at her with some amusement, blew out the lamp and candles and they both settled into bed.

But Utau's sleep was far from pleasant. Instead, an odd dream popped into her mind.

_She was seven again, nimble and quick and clever. Her mother stood on the porch looking, she knew, for her husband to come home to her. Her mother's hair blew in the wind, and her eyes scanned the roads for the one she loved._

_Was this a dream or a memory?_

_Her mother's eyes landed on her, and she began to speak, but the words never made it to Utau's ears. _

"_What?" She yelled, pointing to her ears. Frustrated, her mother pointed to a different road, one more abandoned and deserted. On it stood Kukai, the age she knew him as, watching her green eyes bright._

_So this was a dream after all._

_He looked desperate and unhappy, panicked and worried. "Kukai!" She yelled but he didn't answer. Instead he frantically paced like a caged animal. "Kukai?" She asked, suddenly unnerved by his worried face. His eyes darkened in surprise, and then he shuddered._

_Utau watched him fall to his knees, blood dripping from his chest an arrow sticking out of his back. He stared at her, unwavering eyes and gasping breath, before he fell to the ground one last time. Utau screamed._

_This was no dream, it was a nightmare._

Her eyes fluttered open, and Utau found that she had been sweating. Throwing the sheets off of her, she paced the room quietly trying not to wake Rima. She finally sat on the windowsill and watched the road. Nothing moved in the night, even the wind wasn't stirring the grass.

She knew what the dream meant. It was her own fear of losing people she loved. Her mother, staring at the road was gone, looking for the father who was long dead and finally Kukai, bleeding on the road. It all had to do with her subconscious fear of being left alone in the world, abandoned by those she loved.

But could she really live in a cage? Like that cage that had invisibly kept Kukai from entering her world, so that he in the end just stared forlornly as he was shot down?

Did it really make any difference to shut out people? They all died in the end anyway. She could never have friends in a hundred years of living, and that wouldn't stop the death all around her. Living a life of solitude was no life at all.

She snapped out of her thoughts to see someone dart across the road. Quick, silent, and there one minute, gone the next. She felt her skin crawl. This didn't bode well, it didn't take much to figure that out.

Quietly, she tapped on the connecting door. There was no answer, so she tapped harder. Tadase opened it a crack, pinkish eyes staring it a daze at her. "Let me in," She whispered. His eyes cleared a little, and though confused he obeyed her orders.

Kukai was still sleeping, though he looked rather restless. She wasn't sure what the best way to wake him would be. She could just let him sleep, but she had a terrible feeling about the person who so quickly leaped over the road toward the inn. They were in the middle of nowhere, and it was as if Kukai was speaking to her when she heard thought _The best place to rob someone._

"Kukai." She gently shook his shoulder. He inhaled sharply, but did not wake. She shook him more roughly this time, and before she could blink his hands were on his throat, squeezing.

They immediately loosened when his eyes flew open. He made a slight gasping sound and jerked his hands back.

"Utau, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I-I-was having a nightmare and I didn't know it was you, I was protecting myself…" His voice was hollow and he was breathing rapidly. "I'm so sorry…" He sounded like a child begging forgiveness. She would have to sort through that later, for now she needed to tell him what she saw.

"It's okay-Kukai look at me-it's okay. I woke you because I saw this person across the road…and I don't know…it unnerved me."

It sounded silly even to her ears. Maybe it was guilt, but either way without question he slipped out of the bed and opened the drawer. Inside he grabbed a knife and he started toward the door. Utau followed him. He raised an eyebrow, and when she raised one back he smiled and nodded.

Following him down the steps, and glancing into the entrance she saw that her fears weren't unfounded. A man stood there, broad shouldered and large. He was in his thirties maybe, and Utau felt her heart quicken. She wanted to grab hold of Kukai's arm and scream, but she realized how girlish that would be. She held her ground and breathed lightly so that the intruder wouldn't hear.

"Stay close to me. When I hit him over the head I want you to grab his arms." Kukai whispered in her ear. She nodded to show that she had heard and then before she could even steady herself Kukai slammed the end of his knife into the man's head. The man moaned, and Utau pounced.

Years of acrobatic experience made her nimble and surefooted, and she snatched his hands and Kukai slammed into him making the man lose his balance.

He gave a ferocious growl and slipped his left hand free. He punched Utau in the stomach and she lost her breath. It hurt, and she felt her head buzz, but she kept hold of his other hand. Kukai slammed the end of the knife once more into his head and the man's eyes finally rolled back and he collapsed.

"Quick, find something to tie his hands with." Utau could only whimper a little, as her breath began to suck back into her lungs. Kukai grabbed a scarf and quickly knotted his hands together.

"Are you okay?" He knelt down next to her. She nodded, breathing normally. Yavara tramped down the stairs and stared at the three of them.

"What on earth is going on?" She gasped. She stared wide eyed at the scene placed before her.

"This guy was trying to rob you. We stopped him though." Kukai jerked his thumb behind him.

Yavara's grandmother came down the stairs, squinting at them all. "James!" Yavara screamed, flinging herself at the fallen form. "What have you done to him?" She snarled.

"James?" The grandmother asked. "The boy I told you to stop dating?"

"It's love grandma! Love!"

"Don't be stupid, Yavara. He was using you! I had forbidden you from seeing him in the first place!" Her grandmother thundered, staring at her granddaughter with fire-lit eyes. Her jaw was clenched.

"We were going to elope tonight!" She wailed, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Oh, Shut up! It's not like we _killed _him!" Utau snapped. Yavara just kept wailing. Kukai stared mouth open. Finally he muttered "Are all females this dramatic?"

Utau, ignoring his comment, got up and stretched. "Do what you want. But I'm going to bed." She trotted up the stairs and went to her room. Rima lay asleep, oblivious to all the noise and drama. Utau was envious.

Several minutes later, the noise had quieted down and Utau was still laying in bed staring at the ceiling. A knock came at the joint door, and she opened it. Kukai rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are you okay? Really?"

"I'm fine. He just punched me in the stomach. I'll be sore but no harm done."

"And your neck?"

It took her a moment to figure out what he meant. She had completely forgotten about the incident when she had tried to wake him up.

"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about it Kukai. I've had times where I wake up hitting people who are trying to get me up."

Kukai nodded and looked relieved. She shut the door and slipped back into bed. But she couldn't help but wonder what he had been dreaming about.

**OoOoOoO**

**Please leave a review! **


	9. Family Secrets

**I do not own Shugo Chara. Thank you to all who reviewed…it makes me happy =D**

**Now to move on.**

**OoOoOoOo**

"I was so tired last night that the irony escaped me." The sun had hardly peaked over the earth when the foursome had started back out on their journey. They knew that things would be a little more slow going now that there wasn't a run away farm wagon.

"Irony?" Kukai raised an eyebrow, fighting back a yawn. After last night he had come to the conclusion that sleep was in order, so when Utau had yanked the sheets and left him to the cold, telling him that it was time to get up, he had been rather unhappy. Most of the morning grumpiness had worn off, but he knew he would remember the piercing cold suddenly put his body into shock.

"Yes. A thief catching a thief. Isn't there some brotherhood thing on that?" This one time, she had opted to leave her hair out of pigtails instead letting it loose. She felt it swing around her waist.

"He wasn't a thief, remember? He was just fetching that girl so he could elope with her…what was her name?"

"Yavara. But you didn't know that at the time. You _thought _that you were apprehending a thief." She tried to suppress the satisfaction that he hadn't remembered her name. She really didn't know why she disliked Yavara so much. Perhaps the fact that the girl assumed she was better then her? But didn't that make Utau at fault as well?

"Oh, well, you were nervous. I didn't want you to worry." He shrugged and looked away. Utau felt suddenly embarrassed that he would actually do that for her. And immensely guilty. She knew that she did few things that wasn't for herself.

Was there something she could do to pay him back? She would have to make sure not to be quite as bitter for a while. It was the most that she could really offer at the moment. Of course, the thought that she was the one who had volunteered to lead him to their destination, could be considered enough.

But the truth was, Utau was a good person and she didn't know it. Perhaps it was her cynical view on the world that restrained her from realizing this, or perhaps she didn't believe in herself enough. Either way you looked at it, she was unaware of how compassionate she really was.

Utau blew hair out of her face, rolling her shoulders back a bit. She was sore. Perhaps because of her brawl with a man that was 3 times her size. She wanted to believe that it was due to the fact that the beds had been lumpy. She had been prepared to argue about the price of the rooms with the elderly lady, but Tadase and Rima had persuaded her against it.

"I cant believe that we have to walk all the way to…um…"

"Madue." Tadase supplied.

"Madue. This trip will take forever!"

"Stop whining." Utau commanded. Kukai rolled his eyes. "We _could _borrow…"

"Absolutely not!" She snapped, stealing a glance at Rima to make sure that the girl wasn't already plotting how she would take the horses. The last thing Utau needed was for a the children she was watching over to end up in jail.

Rima sighed, and continued to walk. Although she wouldn't admit it, Utau knew that it would take too long for them to travel by foot. But where there was a will, there was a way. Or so she had decided.

"He really likes to steal stuff." Tadase muttered, bouncing on his toes, and looking at Kukai with a rather odd pinkish gaze.

"Yeah, well, don't let it get around." Kukai told him wearily. "And don't mention it outside of the four of us."

Tadase nodded obediently. "Will you teach me how to steal stuff?" He asked cheerfully. His smile faded a little at the withering glare that Utau directed his way. He moaned.

"Utau is like a _mom_."

"_Someone _has to keep you in line." Utau bluntly replied. Tadase sighed in defeat. "I guess. But still…it would be fun to know how to steal stuff."

"It's wrong to take other people's property." Although she was addressing Tadase, her eyes were on Rima.

"You let Kukai!" He pointed out.

"Kukai is seventeen. He can do what he pleases."

"So, when I'm seventeen, you'll let me steal things?"

"No."

"But you just said -"

"This is going to be a long journey." Utau muttered.

**OoOoOoOo**

Utau couldn't remember how old she was when her mother packed her up, and her flowers, and walked many, many miles to a city that was much larger then her own tiny village.

Young. She was very young, but the exact age was not burned in her memory.

But the rest of the journey was. How her mother made her wear her best dress (in a time before she wore black) and braided her waist long hair. And then they walked for what seemed like forever, and when Utau couldn't walk any farther her mother picked her up and carried her, even though she was already carrying thousands of flowers.

And after several days they came to the large city. It was so huge and unfamiliar that Utau hid behind her mother. The clambering streets and shouts of the people, the smells and noise, it was all unfamiliar to young Utau, who had never left her quiet and peaceful forest village.

Her mother skillfully moved through the people. Utau was shocked. "How mama?" She asked quietly. "How did you know how to move through those people?" Her mother tenderly stroked her hair.

"Another time, love." That time never came.

She pulled out the flowers and set them on a booth. The were surrounded by all the most beautiful flowers of all different colors. Her mother's green thumb had produced a wide variety.

But Utau's favorite had always been the Misty Blue's. Although tiny, they seemed to shimmer and supposedly they were magic. At least, that was what her mother said.

Utau hadn't been sure at the time, of what they were doing. But when a man walked up and bought a dozen white Roses from her mother, Utau had started to understand. The reason her mother grew so many flowers was because she needed to sell them.

Because daddy was fighting and they needed to make money.

The flowers went quickly. Some people wanted them because they were beautiful. Others for their wives and lovers. And still others to put on tombstones, and others still who wanted to give them to friends and family.

Utau didn't think it was possible, but soon there were no more flowers left for her mother to sell. It had been a whole day, and night was upon them. Her mother picked up Utau and whispered in her ear "Close your eyes and sleep." And so Utau did just that, and she woke in the middle of the night to find that she was in a small bed and her mother wasn't anywhere to be seen.

In a panic she flew off the thin sheet and quietly patted towards the door. She stopped when she heard hushed voices speaking. She peered through the door, just able to hear what her mother and another woman (who looked remarkably like her mother, but a tad older) were saying.

"…Not coming back." The older mother said. Her mother shook her head in a way that Utau would have called rebellion, except her mother didn't look rebellious.

"I told you not to come back here anyway." The woman said again.

"That was a long time ago when you said those words. I was hoping you would reconsider."

"I wouldn't have if you didn't have that girl in your arms. She looks more like _him _though." The voice had been tender at first, but Utau could feel the contempt leaking through. Her mother said nothing in response.

Utau had wanted to run to her mother, to grab her and hold on tight and ask what was going on and why they were here. But something told her not too. Some instinct that she had been born with explained to her that if she really wanted answers, she would have to listen.

And so she did.

The woman was speaking again, though not as gruffly.

"What did you name her? The girl, I mean."

"Utau."

"That's a good one." There wasn't any sarcasm or enmity laced in the words. The woman, it appeared, really meant what she said. "It means "to sing," does it not?"

"Yes. She has your voice. Sings like a lark." Her mother sounded a little timid, but also loving. Utau couldn't help but be confused. Was this person family? But she had no family outside of her mother and father. Her father, she knew, had been and orphan. And her mother…?

She had always assumed that it was the same with her mother.

"Souku…I…" The older woman didn't finish. Her mother shrugged her shoulders. "Do you mind if I leave Utau here while I gather supplies for the trip back to the village?" There was a tense moment of silence, and Utau thought that maybe she had missed something.

"I don't know. You wont leave her here and run off will you?"

"No." Her mother didn't sound angry or hurt at the suggestion. She gave her response with little emotion, and hardly any facial expression. Utau didn't know what to feel. There was obviously _something _going on, but Utau didn't know what. She was to young to put the pieces together.

"Fine." The older woman bluntly replied. "But if you don't come back I'm not taking care of her. She's going to the orphanage, and I'll not see her again."

"I don't believe you." Her mother then walked out the door.

Utau went back to the bed and sat on it. There were things to ponder, but her mind wouldn't work. It was as if her brain had turned to cloud mist and there was nothing that she could except sit on her bed and swing her feet.

The older woman opened the door and peered in, catching a glance at Utau. "You're up, I see." The woman peered at her closely. Utau stared back. Yes, she decided. She looked exactly like mama except older with glasses. But her face was a little more rough, too.

"So, what's your name?" The woman asked, even though Utau was pretty sure that she had already been told her name. She wondered if maybe the woman was forgetful. The she wondered if perhaps the woman was just trying to make conversation.

"Utau."

"Are you thirsty?" Utau nodded. The woman nodded in a way that said 'follow me' and walked out the door. Following dutifully, Utau patted after her.

"So tell me young miss," The woman began, as Utau drank the milk. "What is it you like to do?"

Utau pondered a moment, tilting her head. The woman hinted at a smile, and Utau thought that perhaps she had done something funny, but couldn't think of anything that would have made the woman laugh.

"Climb trees." She answered, and after a slight pause she added "And sing."

The woman's eyebrows went up. "And what do you like to sing?" The woman had a light voice, she noted, when she wasn't near Utau's mother. It made Utau smile, because it was something she thought sounded loving and kind.

"Anything with words?" Utau tried. The woman threw her head back and gave a big belly laugh. She had a nice laugh, and it made happiness spring at her belly. The woman had a nice smile, she observed. The woman, she then concluded, must be nice.

"What should I call you?" Utau asked, in an attempt to figure out who the woman was. The woman paused a moment, as if considering the question. Finally, she spoke with some hesitance.

"Anything you like really. You could call me Sky, or you could call me my real name. And if your mother lets you, you could call me Grandma."

"Grandma!" Utau asked in excitement. "You're my grandma? I've never had a grandma before! You're my very first!" She flung her tiny arms around the woman, who wasn't as sturdy as she looked. The woman - or grandma rather - laughed again.

They chatted, and even though Utau was young she felt like she had known "Grandma" all her life. Her mother finally came home, and Grandma's sour face returned. But Utau didn't mind, because she knew all about how grandma used to sing, and how her "stage name" was Sky. And how she loved spring, and most of all how she shared Utau's love of Misty Blue's.

"Hello." Her mother seemed distant, as if rather dazed or shocked to see Utau and grandma together. In a fit of emotion, Utau flung herself and cried "Mommy!" Her mother hugged her back, combing hair out of her eyes.

"Mother…"

Grandma shrugged. "You can't help but love your grandchildren." Both their eyes misted, and Utau wasn't sure why. Nothing about the scene tugged at her heart, or made her think of sadness. This entire thing, she thought, was rather confusing.

They had to leave, of course. But just before they did Utau grabbed a Misty Blue and gave it to Grandma. The old woman suddenly began to cry. The tears just poured down her cheeks in a waterfall. Utua could tell that it wasn't sorrow, and so she suspected that the tears were ones of happiness.

Her mother and grandmother hugged each other before they left. She didn't understand how meaningful it was.

And months later, Her mother got a letter. Her mother cried and cried and cried and Utau couldn't do anything for her. And finally, mama had explained that they could never see grandma again, because grandma wasn't here anymore. She explained that Grandma had died and that she couldn't come back, but they would see her again one day.

Utau made a terrible mistake then. Once her mother had said this, she asked "Is that what happened to daddy?"

Her mother's eyes pooled even more and her voice was shaky when she replied "We don't know what happened to daddy."

**OoOoOoO**

That memory ran through Utau's head as she passed the woman selling flowers at the end of the street at a small village on their journey. She felt oddly chilled when she saw a young girl with watchful eyes behind her mother.

She paused a moment, debating on her next move. She could ignore them, or she could purchase a few flowers. What could it hurt? At the same time it was wasteful spending. In the end, she finally gave in and trotted to the flower booth.

"Do you have any Misty Blue's?" She asked. The woman gave a nod and gestured with her head to the bucket filled with them. Utau chose one, and just one, then paid the woman. She added some extra cash and told her to "Keep the change."

"Their good luck, you know." The little girl told her, with solemn brown eyes. Utau gave a wry smile. "Supposed to be, anyway." The girl gave a vehement shake.

"Not _supposed _to, they _are. _" She gave a nod and stared at Utau. Not able to stop the words until she had blurted them out Utau retorted, "That's what my mother said, and they never brought her any."

Suddenly feeling very rude, and rather disgusted with herself, Utau shook her head. "I apologize. You're right," She winked at the girl. "They're good luck."

The woman who was selling the flowers smiled at Utau. Utau shrugged and turned away. Kukai and the two gypsies would be in the village looking for an inn. She didn't want to keep them waiting.

She couldn't help but smile when Tadase trotted up to her. "We found a place to eat and sleep!" He announced, and Utau winced at his noisy report. She cocked her head, trying not to show the relief she felt at finding a place to sleep. They were lucky that they didn't have to sleep on the side of the road or in the woods.

"Alright, lead me to the place." Tadase grinned as he took her hand and trotted to the inn. It was worn, but it looked a little more trusting then the one they had stayed at the previous night.

"Got it for a low price too," Tadase informed her, as if it had been him instead of Kukai who had figured it out.

Speak of the devil, she mused, here he comes. Kukai's red hair couldn't be missed as he walked to the two of them. He gave her a cocky grin, and she just smirked at him. He was pleased that he had found this place, but she herself was rather unimpressed. It didn't take great skill to find a place to sleep.

As if reading her face, his emerald eyes did their playful dance and sighed, as if to say "_What an ungrateful girl!" _Utau was tempted to laugh, but she instead kept up her serious face, opting not to give him the satisfaction of her smile.

Dinner was rather uneventful, on account that everyone was tired from walking. Tadase almost fell asleep while eating his soup, and Utau finally ordered he and Rima to bed. That just left she and Kukai alone to dine together. It reminded her of the day that they had munched on ramen together, and she had a sudden ache for home.

"How much longer will the journey take?" Kukai asked her, slurping up his soup in a rather rude manner that she suspected was purposefully done to annoy her.

"Walking, we have at least another week."

Kukai shook his head. "I have a deadline. I only have another five days."

"We can make it in three with horses."

His eyes pleaded with hers to steal some, but she shook her head again. "I cant Kukai. It's against my belief, and I don't want Rima and Tadase to think its okay."

"Their _gypsies." _He reminded her. "They probably have seen enough thievery that they're unaffected by it." Still, she shook her head. He sighed.

"I suppose we could buy them." He sounded glum. Utau gave him a coy smile. He raised his eyebrows in question, taking the bait. "I'm very good with striking bargains. I could probably get a horse for cheap."

He pondered this a moment. "Worth a shot." He finally caved. He spooned the rest of his soup into his mouth. "Tomorrow I'll see if I can find a person who sells horses. And if you don't mind, I was wondering if you could get some supplies here for the rest of the journey."

Although she knew it was absurd, she felt rather touched by the fact that he had asked. He hadn't ordered her around like a slave, giving her orders. Not like Leroy and Malcolm and all the other people she had worked with since her move to the capitol.

"Of course." She replied, not hinting at her sentimental emotion.

She stood up and stretched a bit. "Well, good night." She told him as she left the table. She couldn't help but give a ridiculous smile as he replied "Night, Princess. Don't get killed by any interlopers!"

**OoOoOoOoOo**

**Well, please leave a review, and a happy Thanksgiving to all of you!**


	10. When Revenge Gets Messy

**I do not own Shugo Chara. Updating just in time for Christmas! Yeah!**

**OoOoOoO**

Violet eyes glared across the table, pointing directly at the wavy haired girl in front of her. The girl reluctantly handed the biscuit she had stolen from Utau's plate and sighed. _Nothing _escaped the all seeing eyes of Utau, and it seemed that her eyes were especially trained on Rima. Next to her the dancing green eyes of the red headed boy looked on with amusement. He didn't seem frightened at the intimidating grunts Utau was making.

The waitress observed this in a sort bewilderment and had the urge to laugh at funny sight before her. She cleared her throat and approached the foursome with a smidge of trepidation. The long blonde haired girl was overall terrifying, the red head looked as if he enjoyed toying with people, and the golden haired one was…creepy. The younger boy's head was on the table - sleeping.

"What would you like today? Our breakfast special is a blueberry pancake with eggs -" The blazing violet eyes gave her a ferocious glare.

"Erm - Just pancakes?" She asked, looking around the table, hoping they would be more tolerant. She had heard of people being grumpy during the morning, but this was honestly ridiculous.

"Ramen." The girl snapped.

A grin appeared on the face of the red haired boy. "Ramen as well, in fact, why don't we all have ramen?" He cast a pleased smile around the table. Rima grunted confirmation and Tadase continued to snore. The girl nibbled on her nail.

"But - uh - that's not possible…" She thought better of it. "Four of the ramen. Right." She tried to give a confident smile but it came out scared and weak. The boy just grinned at her. Scurrying away, she desperately looked for a different person to wait on them.

Kukai chuckled with self amusement. Utau rolled her eyes at him. "You're in a mood." He gave a choked snort. "You're no ray of sunshine either." Kukai threw an arrogant grin at her. She smirked back. Rima continued uninterestedly to poke Tadase. Tadase kept on snoring.

Sighing with boredom, Rima stretched her arms. They had been traveling another three days, and they were _so close_ to Madue. With two days left to spare. Kukai should have been pleased, but instead he just seemed to be on edge and nervous. She couldn't tell if it was excitement, but it seemed to her that the closer they came the less he wished to go.

Although she showed no signs of it, Utau also noticed the change in him. Where once Kukai played pranks with good humor, he now played them with a bit anxiety (or so it seemed.) She didn't like it. He hadn't seemed nervous about it when they left, but now things had changed. She didn't like it, but she knew him well enough not to bring it up. You couldn't press Kukai. He resented it when you did.

She also had a desire to know who it was he was meeting. He had only mentioned that it was a friend and that he had a deadline. It made her uneasy, not knowing stuff about him. It made it all the more real to her that she hardly anything about him, that he could be anyone.

_Never trust a thief._

Her fathers words rang in her head. She had to remain careful. He was a friend - her only friend - but he was dangerous. He was a mystery, a puzzle that she couldn't piece together. Whenever she thought she had the picture, something wouldn't fit quite right.

He met her gaze a little solemnly then she was used to. It was as if he knew what she was thinking and it bothered her. It wasn't like she _wanted _him to be a dangerous criminal. She cringed thinking of all the moronic females she knew that would just die if they thought about being around a thief.

"_How dangerous! How romantic!" _they would prattle on. They didn't understand what true friendship was, what camaraderie meant. Their minds were up in the clouds of romantic fantasy.

She could feel her anger boiling just thinking of it. She shook her head. She couldn't let such thoughts make her angry. She would take it out on people that mattered or weren't like that. Rima for instance.

Trying to cool her anger, she blew some hair out of her eyes. The sun was starting to grow bright outside, and she could feel its warmth on her black dress. It surrounded her like a cocoon, keeping her safe. She wondered for a brief moment what it would it would be like if her Grandmother and Mother were alive…

Stop it! Who was this new Utau, who thought of what ifs? This was not her, not the girl she was accustomed too. Not the girl who took care of herself, he didn't need help from anybody. Who got by on her own. _She _didn't think despairing thoughts of "If they had lived…" she instead thought of the FUTURE! The past was worthless…

But she knew that wasn't true. As much as she screamed it at herself it didn't quite click within her. She was lying.

The ramen arrived but she pushed it away. She wasn't hungry, didn't have an appetite at the moment. She pushed it towards Kukai and he grinned as he devoured it as well. She knew she should chuckle but it wasn't in her. She was sad today…depressed.

Maybe it was because they were getting so close to Madue. She knew she was being dramatic. But she couldn't help but feel that the closer they came to Madue, the closer she came to danger.

**OoOoOoO**

Madue hadn't changed. It was exactly as Amu had remembered it. Same dark streets, same suspicious people and same cloudy weather. The sun hardly ever showed its face here, and the climate was dreary and cold. She shivered and couldn't decide if it was from the rain that was coming down, or the fact that they were here. Here finally, close to the prize.

If she had thought Kukai was on edge before, she had been sorely mistaken. Now he was truly on edge. Where before he had at least attempted to jest, he now didn't even crack a smile. The city was pushing on them both, suffocating them in its cold and dismal atmosphere.

"I'll go find my acquaintance. Can you find an inn?"

He sounded dull, nothing like himself. Utau was frightened. She unconsciously felt her trust in him faltering. She gave him a grim look.

"Yes." She hesitated, but finally decided that she needed to say it. It had to be done. They couldn't stay.

"We'll only be staying tonight. Our agreement was that I led you to this place, not that I stay for…whatever it is that you're doing. Rima, Tadase, and I will be leaving in the morning." She felt dizzy.

"Fine." There was a silence between them. It made her chest hurt a little, and she felt a little nauseous. He was one friend and she had few. But she couldn't stay here. She felt uneasy here and he did too.

_Are you coming back? _She wondered. Instead of asking, she turned and walked to the two gypsies eyeing her carefully. They didn't speak as they walked to the smelly inn and rented a two rooms. They didn't converse as they had dinner.

They certainly said nothing of the fact that by midnight Kukai hadn't returned.

**OoOoOoO**

Kukai didn't have a hard time finding Farrow. It was a small town, a suspicious one, and news of newcomers made it easy to track him. Besides, Farrow wasn't a person that you forgot. Scars on his nose, and cruel eyes made him an imposing figure who was usually feared. Rightfully so.

Kukai didn't feel the same fear. He was a survivor. Things went wrong on a heist and he would be the only one to get away. If the authorities came running he could allude them. People died and he would survive.

Besides, if Farrow had wanted to kill him he wouldn't have asked for a rendezvous. He would have simply tracked him down and done the dirty deed. Besides he and Farrow were on good terms. True, Kukai didn't trust him, and overall wouldn't tell him that he had come with company. But he didn't think that Farrow was here to hurt him.

Farrow gave him that patronizing grin that Kukai was accustomed too. There was a tense silence between them, when finally, Farrow broke the stillness.

"Well, I have news fer ya." He didn't let off his grin. Kukai felt his irritation grow, as it always did, when Farrow decided to take his time. It was difficult to understand the way he spoke. He had come from some island near the county of Ractavia, but the name wasn't known to him.

"And?"

"Shartan. You still be lookin' fer him?" The cruel eyes grew restless. Kukai could feel his own breath quicken. Shartan, the man that he had decided to kill. He had a good reason to. The blood and screams still echoed in his mind from that dark day.

"Yes." It was all Kukai could do not to scream the words at Farrow. He knew straight and well that Kukai would always seek Shartan until the man's death.

"New piece of information." Farrow continued, taking his sweet time. "And I'll give it to ya if ya give me the thing I want." His eyes were pools of darkness now. Kukai's weren't far off from following the same path.

"What is it you want?" He asked, knowing that whatever it was he would gladly give it to Farrow.

"The girl that travels with you." Except that. Kukai felt his heart constrict a little. How did Farrow know? And what did he want her for? Kukai remembered vaguely that Farrow still dealt in the slave trade. Chills raced down his spine. Just imagining his friends breaking their backs to work in some distant country…that he could not give.

"What girl?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Farrow growled. "The one with the cold gaze? The clipped tone? Black dress? Long blonde hair and the pretty violet eyes?" His grin widened. "Ringing any bells in that red head of yours?"

"I'm not giving you her. Name something else."

Farrow shook his head. "I don't want anything else. The man who wants her is askin a pretty price that I cant refuse. Don't be a fool. Kukai. She ain't worth your revenge."

_Man who wants her? _Had this all been a trap set up by Farrow? Did he believe that Kukai was so far gone that he would offer anything - including Utau - to get it? He had thought wrong. He wanted the information, but it could be found elsewhere for a cheaper price.

"No." He was firm. He would never stoop as low as to give up a friend.

"A pity." Farrow the hilt of a dagger onto Kukai's head. Kukai fell, and hit the ground. He could see Farrow above him, felt him slip something into his hand. He grasped it as black dots appeared.

"Sorry, I tried. You just wouldn't give her up, and I cant have a different price. A shame. I hope you weren't too attached."

"You vulture," Kukai gasped out, as the world began to fade.

"Sleep now. And Kukai…Shartan is the one who wants her."

The last words were all Kukai could hear as his words faded black. That, and the his previous thoughts that he was lucky. _But not the people around me._

**OoOoOo**

Utau slammed her leg into her attacker. He gave an oomph and then "Just come to me darling." She kicked his shin, but he wouldn't let up. Whoever he was, he was strong and big and she didn't hold a candle to his strength.

Still she fought back. Why didn't anyone hear this and come running?

He grabbed her wrist and pulled out a small dagger. She struggled but to no avail. Carefully, so as not to draw to much blood, he slit it. She trembled at the sight of her own blood. "Sleep now, lass."

She did.

**OoOoOoO**

**Please leave a review!**


	11. A Pawn in the Game of War

**I do not own Shugo Chara. I had a typo and said Amu in the last chapter by accident. I didn't mean to…Amu and Ikuto will not make an appearance in this story. Ah, my poor characters…what I have done to you…?**

**OooOooO**

Utau did not know how long she slept. She merely knew that when she woke up, she was in a carriage, that it was dark, and that they were going up a mountain. Her attacker was in the carriage with her. Only these things went through her mind before she slowly closed her eyes and let the sleep overwhelm her lids once more.

The second time she opened her eyes, it was still dark. She was no longer in a carriage, she was in a bed. Before she could cry out or even blink, the awful sleeping potion was on her nose and mouth again, and she slept.

When she finally woke up a third time, she was quite tired of being put to sleep. Before anyone could stop her she sat up abruptly in her bed (Despite the headache) and began to thrash about. She stopped when she realized that she was alone. No one was in the room with her.

She took this solitary moment to observe her surroundings. The room was typical, but expensive. A writing desk, a book shelf, the bed, a wardrobe and a bedroom vanity. There were no pictures on the walls. The window was locked as was the door.

Utau snapped angrily out of the bed and marched to the wardrobe and threw it open. There was nothing in it, and she searched the drawers of the desk as well. Nothing. The room, it seemed, was uninhabited.

She could have cried right then. Perhaps it would have helped, she later reflected, but at the time she wouldn't give the satisfaction. Oh sure, no one was in the room, but if they came in? And saw her bawling? It wouldn't do. And as she had learned long ago, the tears were mere hindrances that got in the way. True, she would cry when she grieved for something, her mother or father or grandmother. But she never cried in helpless situations.

Since she decided this, an idea popped into her head. Obviously, the person wasn't very smart or had underestimated her abilities. Half out of anger, half out of an attempt to escape she threw the vanity at the window. It smashed the glass and she calmly walked toward it.

She was shocked to find that she wasn't as high up as she had first thought. In fact, she could probably jump from this height without breaking any bones. Encouraged by this turn of events she cleared some of the glass from the window and jumped.

Landing firmly on her feet, Utau smiled to herself. The fools. Did they think her to be witless? And just who were they anyhow?

"So you are tempestuous." An amused voice said behind her. Utau whirled and saw a dark, foreboding looking man with a bit of a hawk nose. He would be handsome except for it, she thought, but his eyes made him seem unapproachable. They were a dark brown, but it wasn't the color that sent chills down her spine. It was the ruthlessness, the lack of mercy, and the way they seemed angry that scared her.

As if reading her thoughts, he laughed. "My eyes? Come, don't be so naïve, I could see you staring right at them. You have the same eyes you know." He said it matter of factly.

"I do not!" She snarled at him. She wanted to attack him, claw at his face and punch his nose. She wanted to kick him, to spit at him. She did none of these things, instead staring at him rather deadly.

His eyes flashed uncertainly at this, as if he _had _expected her to lash out on him. The uncertainty was gone in an instant, but Utau had seen it and he couldn't take that back. She wondered briefly why he wanted her to be so cruel, but was preoccupied from continuing the thought when he stepped closer to her.

"No matter," He said to himself. "The desire is there." He gave her a cold smile, and she remembered how she had thought Leroy's eyes and sometimes Malcolm's eyes were scary, and realized that she had been very, very wrong. The eyes of those two men had nothing on the pair that glared at her now. Unnerving perhaps, were the eyes of Leroy Fitch. Murderous were the eyes of the man before her.

She turned and ran. As fast as she possibly could, she let her feet fly. They barely touched the ground. She wasn't thinking, just running forward. A stone wall surrounded what she now knew was the place she had stayed (a mansion, it looked) and she thought she would have to jump it or climb it. She didn't care which. So long as she got away from the man with the brooding eyes.

_Never trust a thief._

Why was she here? What did this man want with her?

_Never trust a thief._

Why was Kukai not at the inn? Was he hurt?

Did he have something to do with this?

No. She couldn't believe that. Kukai was her friend, he was the only person that she felt truly knew her. She had decided not to push him away, that she would…would…trust him. Trust him! Surely, Kukai had not done this! Surely this was not his doing…and yet the facts were against him. Did he not in a roundabout way ask her to take him to Madue? No…he could not have possibly known that she had been to Madue. He had her trust. She would not be so quick to give it away.

It was her last thought, as someone (probably the man) grabbed her by her hair and dragged her backwards. She screamed as he clamped his hand on her mouth. He easily threw her over his shoulder and began to calmly walk back to the mansion. She beat her fists against his back, and he was still unaffected.

"Let me go! Let me go! Put me down!" She really did feel the tears coming. She had been through so much, through the wars, abandonment, Leroy…this was new. This was her, alone, against someone she knew she couldn't win against.

And still she screamed and kicked and tried to bite. He did not care. In fact, he laughed. What did he want with her?

"Help me!" She screamed powerlessly. Was there anyone over that wall? Her screaming, it seemed, had finally started to dance on the mans nerves. He set her down rather roughly, and pulled her close to his face.

"Quiet down. I will only tell you this once." His voice was cool and filled with indifference. She let out another scream just to spite him, and he shoved her against the wall of the mansion and made to slap her. The scream died in her throat. The slap never came.

"Good," he whispered. "You are smart. You are defiant, but you know when you are beat. Now," He gripped her arm tightly "you will come back to the mansion where I will have a chat with you."

She nodded obediently. He didn't even have to use force, she went so willingly. He heart pumped blood as if it were nervous. She barely breathed.

He dragged her back upstairs to her room where he pulled the black curtains to make the room dark. She doubted that anyone could see them through the curtains. She also doubted that there was anyone there at all.

"What do you want with me?" She whispered rather hoarsely. He gave her a rather grim look and she wondered if she saw a bit of pity trace his face, but she thought that a man like him could not feel pity. He was much to cruel.

"You are to be a pawn." He replied quietly. Utau wanted to know what he was talking about, but she was confused. She was not important enough to be a pawn. Was this some sort of political game? She bit the inside of her cheek.

"I don't understand."

"No. No I don't suppose that you do." He paced the room. "You have a friend named Kukai, yes? Ah, you hide it so well." He chuckled.

"Let me tell you a story, young Utau." Young? Utau considered her age, and was shocked to find that yes, in the eyes of most adults she was young. It made her feel odd, because she didn't feel young. Then again, she mused, neither did anyone else her age.

"You remember the wars?" He laughed at her glare. "Yes. Well, your dear friend Kukai lived in the other country of Tsibar. He is not of your country. Yes, young little Kukai is not from Fandchil." He mocked her. Why did he mock her so?

"I was a Fandchil…a rogue one I suppose I should add. I was not approved of by the government. They despised me, in all honesty. The King and Queen even had a price put on my head. Well, I didn't think there was any need for prisoners. So, I took it upon myself to ambush prisoner lines. Country folk mostly. I ambushed a line, one night, but something bad happened. The guards also were killed. Kukai was part of that line. Six or seven at the time. I don't know how I missed him. He wants revenge, you know, for what happened."

He wasn't telling her everything. A story like this had more to tell. It did not take a minute and a half to say. Though she thought that what he said was true. She remembered clearly the words Kukai had spoken about killing a man that had wronged him.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "So?"

"So?" He seemed irritated. "All you have to say is 'so'?"

Again, she shrugged. "His beef is with you, not the entire kingdom. I would have much preferred to hear Kukai tell the tale though. You say it so unemotionally that I hardly feel as if it is real." She knew that the smug smile was on her face. She wished she could wipe it off, but for some reason it wouldn't leave her face.

"Are you that attached to him?" He growled.

"He is my friend. I do not care about that awful war, and I do not care about what you think of it." Suddenly her heart was filled with confidence. Suddenly she was no longer scared. "I certainly hope that Kukai kills you soon, because I want out of this horrid tower."

His eyes blackened and she was scared of him again. Instead of harming her, he just gave a black laugh. "Yes. Yes, Utau Hoshina, I would hope the same in your place."

**OooOooO**

Kukai had tracked Shartan to this mansion. It had been nearly a week since Farrow had kidnapped Utau. Kukai had woken, alone and with a headache, to find Rima and Tadase staring at him. It was odd to see tears in Rima's eyes. The girl was so deadpan most of the time, that it looked foreign on her face. Tadase stood behind her, whimpering.

"She's gone." Rima choked out.

And then he remembered. Feelings welled inside of him. Revenge, for the lives of so many and the now the life of Utau. Had he killed her? Visions of him ripping a sword across her stomach, a knife in her gut, all her blood splattered across the floor were foremost in his mind. He felt worry, choking him.

What would he do to her? He needed to find her, bring her home, keep her safe. This was all his fault. His fault for getting her mixed up, his fault if she died. Great sorrow welled within him. He felt…

Like he had lost something. Something important.

"We're coming with you." Rima had whispered softly, and Kukai knew that it was true.

So here he was. Staring at the beautiful mansion with the stone wall. The wall reminded him of Utau. The way she had built a wall around her own heart, how he felt that he had climbed up it.

Just thinking about her made the worry rise up. He hadn't told Rima and Tadase, but there was a good chance that she was dead. Once she had fulfilled her purpose, Shartan would have no more need of her. He would kill her, and she would cease to exist.

The only question was what he needed her for. It was not to get Kukai, no, it was for something else. Shartan knew Kukai was looking for him, why lure him? It was not for this reason. Some other thing.

He watched the mansion patiently. Soon, very soon, he would speak with Shartan.

**OooOooO**

Utau wasn't positive how long she had been at the mansion with the towering stone wall outside its land, but she was tiring. Tiring of the silly games the dark man played, tired of his vague and foreboding references that sounded ominous.

She told him so.

Perhaps out of amusement he changed things up a little. One day he came in with a wardrobes worth of dresses. Most of them were black and a few were red. They were exactly her style, exactly what she would have chosen. She hid the fact that she was freaked out. How did he know just what to get her?

"I should complain more often." She joked nervously.

He said nothing.

Finally she decided that enough was enough. He should have just been straightforward with her in the first place. It was tiring, all this jumping around, this foreshadowing. It was ridiculous, probably done to unnerve her.

"Tell me. Tell me what you want with me. I'm sick of wasting my life in your prison." Utau chose the word prison deliberately, because that was what she saw this place as. She wasn't even sure that it was this man's home, so the word prison fit well. It was a beautiful place from the outside. Inside, it was closed off and confined.

"Surely not a lure for Kukai. You seem smarter then that."

The man laughed. She had gotten tired of calling him man in her mind so she had named him "Murry" mainly because he was everything that a Murry wasn't. Murry was an overweight guinea pig, not a psycho killer that survived a terrifying war.

"No. No I am not that stupid. This has nothing to do with Kukai at all." He paused, as if expecting her to cry out in shock. She didn't. "You are a pawn. You are going to become the pawn that will bring down the King and Queen."

This time she said nothing because she was speechless. There was nothing to add, nothing to say after such a statement. Several minutes passed like this before she finally whispered "Why me? I am nobody."

"Exactly Miss Hoshina. And at the same time you know the layout of the castle, and all of its secrets. You are trusted by the King and Queen, and you have no family to vouch for you. You my dear girl, shall be my pawn. And a good one."

"I'd rather die." She stated bluntly. Anger burned hot under her skin, making her feel dizzy. Dare this man use her as an instrument of war? Hadn't war done enough damage to her? She could feel her lip curl with disgust for his hunger for violence.

"And perhaps you shall." He gave her a harsh glare filled with contempt, something she hadn't seen in the entire time that he had been with her.

"I will not do it. Kill me if you must, but I absolutely refuse. Find someone else. Preferably Leroy Fitch."

"Who?" He gave her a confused look. She smirked despite his rising anger, enjoying the fact that she had made him bewildered if not for a moment. Indeed, if this had ended up being Leroy her problems with him would quite possibly have been solved. As it was, she was going to have to find some way to outsmart him.

"Nobody. But as I just said, I'm not going to become your instrument of war. Kill me and find somebody else."

He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. Her heart pounded with nervousness and she tried to pull away. He gripped it tighter, making her cry out. He snarled his next words.

"You will do it, because there is no one better. And also because I told you to. You are not your own person anymore, Miss Hoshina. You belong to me." His eyes craved to kill her. To stick a knife in her heart.

"Is that clear?"

She said nothing. He took it for a yes.

**OooOooO**

**Please leave a review **


	12. Climbing the Wall

**I do not own Shugo Chara. Please leave a review. I would also like to have a small word to the anonymous person who reviews under the name mindcaster15:**

**You're complaint of my spelling is absolutely alright. That is what constructive criticism if for, and I apologize if it made the story difficult to read. However, you're response of "the name Akira is better than Mira" is ridiculous.**

**I'm not a psychic to know exactly what you want background characters to be named, and this is all in your opinion. Maybe I like the name Mira more than Akira. I do not name people just to please you, and if I did I don't know how you would expect me to know what name you wanted.**

**OooOooO**

It had been over a week since Utau was due back at the castle, and it had everyone in hysterics. The Queen was upset because she didn't know if Utau would be back in time to play her music for the party, Leroy was upset because it was making his job harder and everyone was gossiping.

It looked as if she had run away, though no one could understand why. The pay was good, she had no reason to, and it wasn't as if she had someone to run away with. The gypsies she had hired were also missing, and it was as if she had just dropped from the planet.

Only Mira really had an idea that she had known someone outside of the palace, but she didn't say anything. Although the red headed boy was someone new, and someone Utau obviously knew also, she didn't believe that the two had run off together. It wasn't the way Utau worked. If Utau were to get married, it would be clean and proper and professional.

Running away wasn't any of those things.

What really had Mira worried, and what everyone wasn't willing to mention, was that something had gone wrong during the trip. That wolves had gotten her, robbers and bandits and even the small chance of her being arrested in a smaller town.

Leroy had suggested that they put posters around, so that if anyone knew what happened to her it could be reported. The King rejected this idea, saying that it could cause Utau trouble if she actually did run away. He didn't understand, however, why she didn't just quit her job like other people.

Which made him think of all the things Mira had thought of, and he immediately put them from his head. He was King, but even he didn't like the thought of such a young girl being torn up piece by piece by wolves.

And so, the castle was in hysterics, no one knew how to fix it, and Utau remained imprisoned.

**OooOooO**

"You aren't real." Utau stated, staring at the person who looked just like Kukai. He was on the window sill of her room, staring at her. She just shook her head. She wanted someone to come save her so bad that she was imagining him there. He simply wasn't real.

"I assure you that I'm completely and one hundred percent real." Answered Kukai.

"Which is something my mind would have you say." Utau moaned. "Leave me to wither away here in peace."

"You can be such a downer. Come one, I've been watching this place for a while. Don't you want to escape?" He was a little worried that she was acting like this. Usually she was so sensible, and now she was just talking nonsense about her imagining him.

"I wont be persuaded by myself." She glared at him "Stop tormenting me with thoughts of rescue!"

With an exasperated sigh, Kukai picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. They needed to leave now, before Shartan realized that something was amiss. It was as if he could smell when things weren't going his way. All Kukai needed to do was get Utau out of here and kill Shartan. Fairly simple.

"Let me go!" Utau screamed in a voice loud enough for Kukai was sure Shartan to here. He slapped a hand over mouth, suddenly on high alert. It wasn't like Utau to be like this, even in the face of danger. Shartan must have given her something.

He jumped out the window, aware that there was the sound of yelling. Had Shartan seen them? It didn't matter, because Utau was babbling and he needed to get over the brick wall. He ran, but it was hard to go as fast as normal with her slung over his shoulder. It was difficult to concentrate with her rambling being so distracting.

"Kukai, I guess you are real. I thought - and don't laugh - I thought you had abandoned me. Don't be cross, please don't be cross, because I had been so scared that you had…"

Kukai was hurt a moment, then remembered that Utau had some sort of complex about being abandoned. He guessed that she must have been - probably several times - in the past and had a hard time trusting people. He felt a tightness across his chest when he thought of her sitting all alone in the mansion, wondering if he was just another name on the list of people who had left her behind.

The fact that she was rambling so sentimentally was a clear sign that she had been drugged. He hoped she hadn't been for the entire time, because it would be more difficult to wean her off. But if this was her first time, it would be great luck.

The wall was a challenge, and even with his experience of high pressure situations he could feel his heart racing. It wasn't often this happened, and he was a little unprepared for it.

"I was scared. Did I mention I was scared? I mean I was at first, but then I wasn't and then I was again. He said I had his eyes and that scared me most of all. I think I know what he meant by that, Kukai, I don't _like_ what he meant by that." She was getting upset and raising her voice.

"Shhh," He crooned, trying to fight back his own panic. "You're eyes look nothing like his." And it was the truth. They in no way resembled the bloodlust that lay in Shartan's deep pools.

He was just on top of the wall when someone leaped up and yanked Utau back, pulling Kukai with her. She screamed, sounding more ferocious and animal like then she did scared. Kukai landed on his feet, and in his line of direct vision he saw Farrow.

"You two faced traitor."

"Shartan pays me more." Farrow replied with an indifferent shrug. "And I don't get me money if the girl disappears." He tightened his grip on Utau and she winced in pain. Her hand was going white.

"Let her go."

"Or you'll what? What ya gonna do?"

Kuaki slammed his fist into Farrow's face. Farrow dropped Utau and yelped, hand on his nose. He growled something menacing that Kukai couldn't make out and staggered up. "Ya shouldn't have done that."

Kukai lifted Utau back on his shoulders. Farrow leapt at him, tackling him to the ground. Utau rolled and landed next to the wall, still babbling. She sounded like an insane person. Farrow slammed his fist in Kukai's face, making his nose bleed.

Utau's legs were up to her chest. He felt Farrow drag him backwards by his legs. "Utau!" Kuaki yelled, hoping to get her attention. He needed some help because the world was spinning a little and he was disoriented.

"Well, well." The amused voice was as distinctive as a nightmare. Kukai snarled and kicked Farrow back.

"Shartan."

"I see you've come to save the girl. Shocking, really, as I was under the impression that you cared for no one but yourself. This changes things. Unfortunately, I can't let you save her. She is an asset to me."

"Why do you want her?" He was aware that Farrow was no longer attacking him, instead standing back and watching the exchange between the two enemies. His orders really must have been directly from Shartan.

"She is a nobody and yet has valuable information that I can't let slip away. Sorry, can't give you the details. You might try and foil me." He gave a sardonic grin.

"Why drug her?" He was sitting up now. He had lost sight of Utau, and he hoped that she was still curled up near the wall. But if she wasn't it was probable that she might have wandered off and would cause more problems by doing so.

"She resisted me. Repeatedly. I need to get her hooked on the drugs. She cant refuse me if I have the one thing she can't deny."

Kukai sprang up and tried to attack Shartan but Farrow grabbed him first. Shartan laughed mockingly but then stopped short and fell to the ground. Behind him Utau held a large stick and smiled in a way that was sweet and sour at the same time.

"I don't like him. He smells funny too. Like old puppets." She gave a childish squeak. Behind him Farrow fell in the same manner, and Kukai turned to see Rima happily holding a club.

"Forgive me." She murmured down to Farrow. "I'm a gypsy. I have no manners."

"Rima!" Utau snapped. "I distinctly remember telling you not to hit people."

Rima glanced over to Kukai. "What's wrong with her?" She tossed a worried glance over at Utau who was now swinging her stick like a bat. Kukai tried not to laugh. If Utau had any memory of it, then she might kill him. After thoroughly thanking him for her rescue.

"She was drugged." Kukai explained. "But let's exchange stories later. We need to get out of here before these two wake up." He grabbed Utau's hand and he trotted over to the wall. Rima was behind them.

"Where's Tadase?"

"Back several miles near our scouting spot."

"Good. We'll grab him before we haul out. We'll pick somewhere at random. Shartan can't figure us out like that."

He hauled Utau over the wall, Rima right behind him.

**OooOooO**

**Sorry that's all I can give. While lacking in length, I hope it was still good. Please leave a review!**


	13. A Simple Thought

**I do not own Shugo Chara. Thank you to all who reviewed.**

**OooOooO**

"No, really, what did I say?" Utau was almost to the point of pleading with Kukai. Being in the knowledge that she had been drugged made her painfully aware that she had probably said something that she entirely didn't mean or want anyone to hear. Kukai was withholding such information from her, which made her increasingly frustrated. What had she said? Something ridiculous? Something she would regret?

"I wasn't listening to you, Utau. I was trying to escape. Sure you were babbling but I was kind of busy trying not to die." Although is was a white lie, Kukai felt that this was the more kind route to take with her. Pretending to be exasperated and giving her his sarcastic remarks back would help to convince her that he really had not listened, even if that was not the case.

Besides that, he was also trying to get over the fact that she had almost died…and how upset he had been over the thought of it. Something inside him was growing, pushing its way up to the surface. It was an unnamable thing. An affection that was more than friendship and yet…he wasn't sure he was ready to love someone. To have such an affection caused problems like if she got hurt or if she didn't love him back…

He had a friend once, when he was just starting out. Kukai had been young, and had no way to make an honest living. Jack had taught him the trade, and was almost a brother. However, Jack had the misfortune of falling in love with a girl who didn't know he existed. To Kukai it looked quite torturous and he was resolved to never have such an emotion, and if it did come about he would kill it immediately.

He hadn't counted on not wanting to kill the new feeling. Besides there was some comfort in knowing that this could quite possibly be no more then an adrenaline crush, which he had seen several times in his line of work.

Utau, for her part, continued to thank/chat/plead with him, oblivious to his inner turmoil he was having about this new found emotion within. She continued as usual, still upset that there was no definitive way for her to know if he was lying or if she had said something so mortifying that he couldn't even bare to bring it up.

"I'm just relieved that it was your first time with the drug." Tadase said. His pinkish eyes blazed a little at the thought of the person who had been so kind to him, who was brave and courageous being brought down by something so low.

"It was awful too. I don't know what kind of drug that _was_, but it made me so sick at first." Utau replied, remembering the unpleasant experience that she had already vowed never to use willingly or voluntarily.

She was finally starting to sense that Kukai was upset about something. His eyes were somehow darker and slightly confused, as if in some fit of madness some ruinous and unwanted thought had attacked his person. Even his forehead and between the eyes were furrowed making the frown on his face stand out.

"Are you okay?" She asked, and in a fit of sentimentalism touched his arm gently. She had meant it as a comforting gesture, one meant to calm him but she got the opposite affect. Instead he flinched as if she had burned him. She pulled her hand quickly back, ashamed that she had done such an intrusive thing to someone.

"I'm fine." He muttered. "I'm just thinking of what we should do." His eyes cleared and the smile came back to his face as if he were the same Kukai he was usually, with no hint of the darker Kukai she had seen when she touched him and for a brief instant when he had seen Shartan.

"It hardly matters to me what _you _do but _I'm _going back to the castle." She informed him promptly. She actually missed her old life, now that it had been replaced with a more scary one then she had bargained for. Leroy and his untrustworthiness and Malcolm in his idiocy all seemed small compared to the menacing man who had kept her in a cage, making her sing like a locked up canary.

"Are you insane?" He shot back, looking at her like she had three heads. She snorted.

"And if I am? It hardly matters because you can't stop me. I don't think Shartan even has enough support to start…whatever it is he wanted from me."

"Which brings up another point. What _did _Shartan want with you?" Kukai asked. Though he wasn't ready to drop the subject of her going back to the castle recognized that this subject was possibly much more important.

"Well…I'm not sure on the details. I was supposed to be some kind of pawn used to bring down the King and Queen. I'm not sure for what purpose or why, or how he was planning on going about it." She hoped that her voice didn't portray the fear she had felt when he had grabbed her arm and yanked her to his ear, whispering the deadly words _"You Belong to me."_

_Never Dance With a Bobcat. _

But she was already breaking the rules, starting with Kukai. _Never Trust a Thief._

Her world of carefully laid out policies and regulations had been shattered. And her world of cold aloofness used to deflect others advances of friendship had been melted away. Her snowy world of ice was disintegrating, and it was all his fault. Worse, she didn't have it in her to hate him for it. In fact, she still could feel nothing but affection.

Her world, once so small, had decreased slowly as a child. A father, a grandmother, a mother and finally her village. Here he was, now, along with two children and there was no way to protect any of them. She felt like vomiting with this thought.

"That's the thing about Shartan. You're _never _sure." Kukai muttered bitterly. Truly, she felt worried that he was acting in this depressive manner. This wasn't the Kukai she knew, who could make her smile even when she was trying her best not too.

"If he went to all the trouble to find you once then he's more then likely to make a grab at you again." Kukai added.

"That's just the thing. I think he lured you out there with Farrow and you were meant to bring me along. Because at the castle it would be impossible for him to take me. Guards, people everywhere. The _King and Queen _for pities sake."

Kukai mulled this over a moment. Finally he nodded, seeing the sense in her words. "I suppose you're right. After all, the Phantom Thief has taken to much vacation time, I think. I need to step up my game a little, remind them that I exist."

Rima's eyes widened and she gasped "_You're _the Phantom Thief?" Utau thought the young girls eyes were going to pop out of her sockets.

"Well you did know I was a thief." He reminded her, finally giving a chuckle that seemed to lighten his darker mood.

"Well yeah, I knew you were a thief but…I figured…that you know…you were just a petty thief who didn't steal anything of much worth. But _you _were the one who stole the Queen's diamonds?"

"Yes."

Both Kukai and Utau watched in amusement as the faces of the two gypsies went from white to red to purple then back to white.

"Wait a second. _Did you help him_?" Rima screamed/asked Utau, finger pointed to the blonde. She was met with a severely annoyed look.

"Of course not! I have morals -"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kukai interrupted.

" - and I would never steal something that my head would roll over!" She continued ignoring his protest. "And _none _of you will talk about this, understand?" She made sure that they all nodded.

"What did you do with her diamonds?" Tadase asked in wonder, suddenly seeing Kukai in some new and heroic light. Kukai wasn't just _any _thief after all, he was _The Phantom Thief. _He had not only taken the Queen's Diamonds, But Lord Wentworthy's gold and jewel studded made of copper blade. Among other valuable things.

"That is for me to know." Kukai answered, stretching. The truth was simply that he was feeling a little self conscious and embarrassed with all this attention. True, he got attention all the time from the public and the monarchs - but only as a thief. He was thief without a name or a face and though he was worth more that way it was entirely more unnerving for someone to know your true identity.

Utau herself hadn't been keeping up with Kukai's "career" but by the reactions she saw in her younger friends she felt that he was very well known and had probably done even more ridiculous things then steal the Queen's beloved necklace.

She was also reminded that when she had also asked Kukai what he had done with the diamonds he too had alluded her without an answer. Now that the same had been done to Tadase she felt an immense curiosity at what exactly he _had _done with them and the other treasures he had stolen. She had certainly seen no evidence of them and though Kukai always seemed to have enough money for the necessities of life and some comfort, he never had any outlandish amounts on him or with him. This presented a conundrum that she was determined to solve, whether or not Kukai did so willingly.

"Don't you get nervous?" Rima inquired. Now that she knew who he really was she was busting to know all the details of his life. Prying perhaps was a bit rude but in her opinion curiosity could kill the soul.

"Well, yes. But a good nervous because it keeps me on my toes." He tried his best to answer with something they could understand.

"So what's a bad nervous like?" Tadase asked.

"Well a bad nervous makes you freeze and mess up. It also makes you clumsy."

"And I think maybe we should go to sleep." Utau yawned (fake, but it got their attention.) "It's been a long three days since we've started out and I'm exhausted." And so saying, she began to smooth the bedroll and hunker down. This relieved Kukai of having to say anything further, and though the curiosity of the younger two hadn't been quenched, it was enough for them to sleep on.

**OooOooO**

Princess Lulu was once again fed up with being tailed by Malcolm. Her parents wishes for her to be kept safe were certainly noble and she felt that they were very sweet - but the simple truth was that the phantom thief hadn't harmed anyone and he hadn't been seen in a long while. Lulu figured him to be gone, a bag of treasure swung across his shoulders and off to someplace nice. She heard that the Gavanos islands were beautiful and tropical, probably an excellent place for a thief who had gotten a good load to go.

But no, her parents still wouldn't lift Malcolm from his duties.

It wasn't as if she didn't understand. She wasn't a naïve princess who believed that she should be able to do whatever she wanted and be free, like so many had before. She was after all to be the ruler of a country, a powerful country, and she needed responsibility and to be _alive. _She knew people had criticized the King and Queen for not understanding what war could do for the country etc. Well they were wrong. They did. Everyone thought that she couldn't comprehend what happened in a battlefield or a town but she truly saw this also. The fact was it was worse for you to be royalty then a peasant in a time of war. A peasant had the excuse of ignorance, while Lulu had no excuse worthy of an enemy. A peasant at the worst would have a quick death. The Royal Family would have a terrifying, public, perhaps even painful bitter end. How many times throughout history had she heard about young royalty only six or seven years of age, beheaded, poisoned, burned. It was awful, and Lulu understood the worth of life better then the critics who knew nothing of what it was like to have full responsibilities over actions that no matter what route you took would have consequences to bare.

But a body guard over a thief was a little much. Especially since he had not harmed anyone. Not to mention that Malcolm was to brooding and quiet to be much company. His presence made everything awkward and complicated for her, and truly she wished to be rid of him.

And with her birthday coming up she was getting more and more frustrated. How was she supposed to work with him behind her all the time?

He was certainly an inconvenience.

**OooOooO**

**Well that's it for now. In truth I hurried a little. There's this book I'm reading called **_**Spoon River Anthology **_**that's really good and I wanted to get back to it, sorry! However I would be very appreciative if you all left a review :)**


	14. A Calling

**I do not own Shugo Chara! Thank you to all who reviewed! You bring a smile! Just for review, Blemeh was the young princess who had been locked up in the tower by Utau's country evil King. She was the reason that the two countries went to war (in the old days) and was found to have died in her sleep. Utau's country was kind enough to erect a statue of her in a public garden, which Utau and Kukai visited in Chapter four.**

**OooOooO**

The tower of Blemeh was as it always was. Quiet, abandoned and lonesome, only Utau was up in it. She was exhausted from the questions and interrogations, the constant checking over and now finally peace. Her arrival had been one filled with chaos, and for one like Utau who did not at all take kindly to disorder, made it a tiring event that she needed to recover from.

Normally on such an occasion she would head to the forest, but seeing as she had been exhausted she went to the second best place: The Trapped Princess's Abandoned Tower. She could now relate to Blemeh in a way she had never thought possible. She too had been trapped against her will in a strange land by a powerful man, and she now had a new respect for the lost princess. How had she withstood long hours, with nothing but a window to look out of? How had Utau?

Utau shivered and sat down on a dusty chair near the bed. She suddenly remembered that Blemeh's end had come in her sleep, on the very bed next to her. A shiver raced down Utau's spine as she imagined the ghostly form of the girl walking up and down the steps of the tower, still trapped and doomed never to escape…

Utau clicked her tongue. She really must be exhausted if thoughts of ghosts were scaring her. Utau was practical; her world held no room for superstitious stories or beliefs. Ghosts weren't real, and they didn't roam moors, castles or houses. Even if they were real and she came across one she could do nothing but laugh. Ghosts were dead there forth they couldn't harm you. It had been her belief for years that people - living people - were the one's you needed to watch out for.

And despite being back home, Utau needed to be on her toes. There were people who would still use her and she needed to be alert.

**OooOooO**

"We were wondering if you had picked something out for the Princess's party. Did you have a specific song in mind?" The Queen was the one asking, her eyes set on Utau's face.

"No, my lady, I haven't. I apologize. I've been looking for something new to sing at her feast, and I haven't come across anything unique enough."

It was true. Utau had been working on a song, but she was having trouble finding the right beat to it. She knew that the Princess must have the best, and though Hoshina Utau was _never _stressed (that was a word used for people who let disorder overwhelm them) she was certainly rather _hurried _(a word similar to stress, used for people who didn't let disorder overwhelm them.)

"Is there something that the Princess herself prefers? A certain type of music, or a song she would like to request?" Utau asked, head bowed somewhat demurely. She had to be careful. This would be her biggest job, and it had to be perfect. It didn't matter if everyone hated it, so long as the Princess herself was in love with the song.

"She did mention that she was fond of violins." The King offered unhelpfully. The Queen ignored him entirely, and pondered the question a moment.

"I'm not sure. I'd have to ask her. I think she might like a love song, she's been into such romantic songs lately." The Queen frowned, as if suddenly realizing that this could be a sign that her daughter thought herself in love. The Queen exchanged a glance with her husband.

Utau shifted uncomfortably at their exchange. She didn't in any way feel comfortable with the King and Queen figuring out if their teenaged daughter was in love or not. She was the singer - nothing more. She cleared her throat apologetically, trying to grab the attention of the two monarchs.

"Yes, well. A love song would do nicely. Something soft, I think." The Queen decided, not feeling particularly up to the job of asking their indecisive daughter what kind of song she wanted to be at her birthday feast. Utau gave a respectful nod, curtsied, and was dismissed. At least now she knew what to look for - though she wasn't much more enlightened as she had been when she had been called to their counsel.

She toyed with the thought of taking an old song and adding to it, making it different and more fitting to the taste of the Princess. It couldn't hurt - especially with having such rotten luck with writing a new song.

She pulled into her room and opened her chest of songs. They were filed in a specific order and her eyes passed over several before finally resting on the pile labeled _Love Songs - Slow._

She pulled them out and flipped through them. She was unsatisfied. They were all lovely, of course, but they lacked the distinctive something that the princess would require for a special birthday. She sighed in frustration and leaned back on the wall. To her surprise a red head appeared at her window. It paused a moment, then the body of the person leaped up through the window and into her room.

She had her mouth open prepared to scream when she saw who it was. She gave him an extremely annoyed look and muttered "I'm busy."

Kukai laughed and shrugged nonchalantly. "What are you working on, princess?"

"That's just it." She sighed. "I'm working on something for a _real _princess. Her birthday song. I just can't find the right one." She gave a frustrated growl, filled with irritation. Kukai raised an eyebrow at her display of anger.

"My, my. And what does the "real" princess want?"

"A slow love song of some kind. But something new." She shot her ink pen a glare, as if it were the one who had betrayed her and not her brain. Kukai sat down next to her, and looked through the songs.

"These are nice…what's wrong with them?"

"They aren't new enough. I was thinking of taking something old and adding to it but I'm not so sure that it's going to be possible."

Kukai pondered it a moment, staring at her. "I can't say that I know anything at all about music. It all looks good to me. But don't fret princess. I've heard that you sing lovely, so I'm sure it'll be fine." He knew that it was said in the capitol and villages that Hoshina Utau had the voice of angel. Supposedly no one had ever run across a voice like hers, and it made him curious. He had already decided that he would break into the castle the night of the party to hear her. If he could steal the Queen's diamonds then he could steal a song from her, and she'd be none the wiser.

"Thank you." She hesitated a moment, debating whether or not to tell him. "I inherited my voice from my grandmother. She could put anyone at ease with her voice, or so my mother said."

"You never met her?"

"I met her once, when I was young. My mother eloped with my father, against my grandmothers wishes. They were estranged from each other until I was little, I finally met her. She died soon after."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "Not as if you didn't have to say goodbye quickly I imagine." She immediately regretted her words. They sounded cruel and merciless, even to her own ears. She quickly tried to mend it with "I'm sorry, that was a rather heartless thing to say."

Kukai waved her words away with his hand. "It's fine. You weren't meaning it to be rude." There was a couple more seconds of silence then, "I had four."

"Excuse me?"

"I had four older brothers." Kukai explained a little quietly. His voice wasn't the usual teasing and playful that was usually probing her to play along. She locked eyes with him, and was frightened by what she felt. A sudden mixture of warmth that started in her stomach and spread throughout her limbs and an ache in her chest. It made her want to hold his hand.

Utau forced herself to harden. She _could not _under any circumstances feel for this boy. Friendship was bad enough but…but…these feelings were an affront to what she had been trying to do for years. Distancing herself from people, so that they couldn't harm her, and here she was. Little fool, what did she think she was doing? This was unplanned, this was unexpected, this was catastrophic…this was lovely.

She had a mixture of emotions, starting with wanting to fling herself upon her bed and commence weeping or strangling him for putting her into such a horrid position.

"I'm sorry, you look upset. I shouldn't have told you." Kukai laughed, embarrassed. Utau shook her head, mortified by her girlish moment that was now dead. It had fled from her anger, and now she was normal, as if it never existed.

"No. I'm just being a girl, I guess." It was true, though not for the reasons that he would know, or understand.

"You? A girl? How awful!" Kukai mocked reverting to his usual self. "Showing emotion! The unforgivable." He added, just for extra measure. Utau stuck her tongue out at him, her only recourse at the moment. She was to _hurried _to make a comeback.

"You'll think of something." He assured her. He glanced at her clock and sighed. "Ah. Time for work." He winked before disappearing out her window, without a second glance. She rolled her eyes and turned her head back to the files.

There must be something. There had to be.

**OooOooO**

**Another shortie, sorry about that! Please leave a review!**


	15. Gyspy Music

**I do not own Shugo Chara! Thank you all so much for the reviews! Upon request, this will be a longer chapter!**

**OooOooO**

Utau gave a shriek of frustration and kicked the tree with all her might. Her toe ached which only fueled her anger and she gave the tree another kick as punishment. She gave an annoyed huff and plopped down on a fallen branch. It had been several days since she had started searching for a song and she was still at square one. It had gotten to her, and she had lost her temper.

Fortunately, she had made it to the forest before her melt down. It would have been the pinnacle of humiliation for everyone at the castle to see her in such a state, which was why she had rushed here so quickly.

"I hate that stupid Princess! She better appreciate my song, or I'll end up being thrown into prison for murder!" Utau slammed her fist onto the tree that she was sitting on. Nothing happened except for the fact that now there was a slight pain in her hand.

"Anger." A voice came from behind her, a voice she new very well. She turned to scowl at Kukai.

"You could have startled me and then I'd have to go to prison for killing _you_."

Kukai shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't be silly, princess. They'd probably give you a reward."

"Now there's a thought. Turn you in and then I wouldn't have to sing for that blonde royal ever again." She paused long enough to look pleased with herself before continuing "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Did you forget the fact that I live here? I was having a pleasant nap - filled with a lovely dream - when I hear some mad woman start screaming like a banshee. I rushed over here and what do I find? A lunatic trying to kill herself with bark."

"Funny. I _had _forgotten, actually." Utau felt a slight twinge of guilt, but dismissed it easily enough. She might have let it linger a little longer had he not made the previous remark about her display of anger. As it was, she was content to let him suffer a while with the thought that she had no regard for where he dwelled.

"That stings. If you'd like, I'll show it to you." He offered it pleasantly enough, with seemingly no fakeness in his voice. Utau felt a pinch of anxiety course through her veins a moment. Something had been growing in her, and she didn't know what to do with it. Something both terrifying and exciting, and Kukai was in the center of it.

_Never Trust a Thief._

"I'd like that." Utau replied quietly. He grinned at her, a mixture of a pleased cat and a mischievous child. He nodded for her to follow him, and she did. He led her deeper into the forest than she had ever been before. The tree's were taller in this otherwise uninhabited area, and they towered over here exuding some kind of power. Memories sparked through her mind.

_She could climb any tree, but ever since the incident where she fell she had to do it in secret so daddy wouldn't know. _

_She was near the top of one looking down, and could see her mother dutifully attending her garden._

After a few minutes of silent walking they came upon a cottage. It was small, but not shabby, made of stones and wood. Utau could only stare open mouthed at it.

"You didn't build that. There's no way. What, you just happened upon a home in the middle of a forest?" Her tone was incredulous, but it was difficult for her to believe that someone would just build a cottage randomly in the farthest reaches of a forest and then leave.

"What happens if they come back?" She asked him accusingly, glaring at the cottage. How did he always have such good luck? There must be some trick she hadn't figured out, something she was missing.

"Then I'll simply tell them that I've been squatting on their land." He chuckled at the glare she shot at him.

"Alright, alright. It's what's known as a thieves hole. A thief will make something like this and when his business is done he'll pass it on to another person. This is more like a lovely little hideaway that I use as a home."

"Peachy. So when some brutal thug comes to visit, you can be murdered in your sleep." She remarked acidly. She didn't actually think it would happen. Her bitterness came from a small root of jealously at the cottage. Deep in the woods, secluded from other people. It was somewhat of her dream home.

"Exactly. Would you like to come in?"

Inside made her even more jealous. It had that familiar feel, the same sort of atmosphere that her childhood home had. She could almost see her mother rocking in a rocking chair, humming, while braiding Utau's hair in the corner. It was nostalgic but also rather creepy. She hadn't seen her home in years…didn't even know where it was anymore. She wondered if some thief had taken it for a hideout, and for a moment or two amused herself with the thought.

"This is nice." She admitted reluctantly. "It's difficult to imagine you cleaning a house."

"Is it? I have a schedule for what I do each day. It's very ordered."

"Oh? I guess I always imagined you living in some sort of chaos." Utau shrugged and without any invitation plopped down on a chair. It wasn't very comfortable, but Utau had the impression that Kukai didn't spend much time in his home except for the occasional time he ate and frequently when he slept.

Kukai pulled up a chair beside her. "I suppose I could see where you got that idea. But I'm actually a fairly neat person. Although I do like it to look as if it's been lived in." He shot her a meaningful glance.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She could help but sound cross with her tone, but he seemed to be implying that she _didn't _look like she lived in her small room. She knew she was neat, but still, it wasn't as if she were Leroy.

"Have you been keeping watch for Shartan?" Kukai asked in a not so subtle way of changing the subject. Utau shot him an irritated look. "Of course I am! You think I'm stupid? There's no sign of that wretched beast anywhere in the castle. So it is as I suspected, for whatever reason he can't enter."

With a sigh she rested her chin on her palms. "I wonder why?"

"Quite possibly because someone in the castle knows him by sight." Kukai remarked calmly. His eyes flickered and that familiar burning inside of his soul returned. That lust for vengeance was familiar to him now, which was a saddening thought. He suddenly had a feeling that hadn't come before - regret for letting the desire for blood overtake him. It took the smile off his face.

"He has, after all, wronged more people then me." He added quietly.

Utau opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. She was going to mention that Shartan had told her (briefly) of Kukai's story, and she wished he would tell her himself. She wanted to make his pain go away, despite having burdens of her own, and she suspected that such a feeling was part of her developing emotions towards him.

"Well it seems he wont be getting me, for whatever it was that he wanted me for." Utau muttered in a somewhat dark voice. Kukai let the flames in his soul be brushed out and grinned at her.

"I think he's much to scared to try and kidnap you again. After all, last time you ended your time by clobbering him with a giant stick."

"I dearly wish I could remember that. It would be a fond memory." Utau lamented.

"Not to worry, I make great use of it." He assured her, and they both chuckled a moment. There was silence afterward, and it terrified them both. Something in the air had changed, a slight difference then what it was before.

Utau stood up quickly and in a voice that was just a shade too bright "I almost forgot! I was going to meet Rima and Tadase over at a gypsy camp to see if there was any music that I could be inspired by."

At the strange look that crossed Kukai's face Utau added "Are you coming or not?"

He grinned devilishly and nodded. "Oh, so I've been summoned by the Princess?"

"You have, and if you don't follow I will have you beheaded." The silence that had caused the outburst had now disappeared again, leaving behind two smiling young people. She tramped noisily out the door and he followed, running afterward.

In the back of Kukai's mind a small worry grew. He knew, deep down in the depths of his heart, that his worries of him actually being in love were starting to become overwhelmingly clear. His adrenaline crush had not gone away, and yet…

He felt something inside of him rise up like a flood and drown him, dragging him to it's murky depths. He had always thought that love was buying people gifts, murmuring sweet nothings in their ear and a pounding heart. His was a feeling of wanting to hold her hand, to protect her and the knowledge that without her he would die on the inside.

_Yes_, he thought with great remorse, _I might be in love with her._

**OooOooO**

The gypsy camp was slightly unnerving for Utau. She had been in gypsy camps before, in fact had been to them often. But there had been a more recent arrival of some gypsies who had darker, more smoldering eyes then the others, and their smiles seemed to have a twisted look to them. Even the other gypsies of the camp avoided them if possible.

Rima led them through the tents and people about, until she found who she was looking for. A boy only a year or so older then her with dark blue looking hair that went to his waist. His golden eyes mirrored hers, and he smiled when he saw her.

Although Rima and Tadase had been living in the castle with Utau, they often went to the gypsy camps. Utau didn't care, and the felt more at home there then a place where all the maids eyed them oddly and overall ignored them.

"Nagihiko, this is Utau and Kukai." The boy nodded to them and smiled. He then turned to Utau and said "You must be the singer. Come, this way." He began to lead them towards several men and women, holding guitars, violins and other various instruments.

Kukai seemed perfectly at ease in the camp and Utau figured that he had been to a few. In fact, she mused, he may have picked up some thieving tricks from camps such as these. She had learned when she was younger to know when someone was picking her pocket, and had ever since gone without fear to these places.

"Alright. Some tunes if you would." Nagihiko told his friends, and with happy yelps they obliged him.

For someone who had a musical ear, Utau was often critical. But the music of the gypsies was lovely and even she found her foot tapping along. Rima looked as if she wanted to join in with their performance, but some invisible thing restrained her from doing so. She simply watched like her two friends.

After several songs the gypsies stopped and went about their business, as if Utau hadn't even been there. Only Nagihiko remained.

"I hoped that helped." A warm smile danced on his face, and Utau simply smirked. Any fool could see that the smile was not for her, but for the curly haired other blonde. She arched an eyebrow at Kukai and he simply chuckled. He had gotten the same message.

"It did. How would your musical friends feel about being the ones to play during the song? I need someone who knows how to play in such a way, at the castle. A song has come to mind - a very old song that was once very dull but has great potential."

Nagihiko seemed to be in some sort of shock, because he didn't answer her. His golden eyes merely blinked blankly back, as if he had no head upon his shoulders at all. At Utau's annoyed look Kukai began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Don't look at me like that! Of course I'll pay them, I'm not about to steal talent."

"No, It's not that! It's just…you are willing to let them play at the castle? For the princess?"

"Young man, I am not in the habit of repeating myself." She ignored several things as she said this, the first being the fact that she was only a few years older than him, the second was of Kukai almost dying of laughter, and lastly that even Rima's serious and deadpan look was fading into a smile of amusement.

"Well? The least you could do was ask them while I'm still _here_." Utau growled testily. Nagihiko nodded and scuttled off, assumedly to find the other gypsies that had been playing.

"Are you quite finished back there?" Utau asked, staring at Kukai who was crying from laughing so hard. He wiped the tears from his eyes with a few more desperate wheezes before bursting into a more subdued peel. He straightened finally, not seeming to care that he had looked like an idiot.

"Forgive me. But it's just always hilarious to watch you interact with people who don't know you or understand you."

"I'm glad you were entertained by it." Utau replied dryly. At Rima's sudden giggle she rested her glare on the girl instead and remarked "Your friend seems to be in the habit of staring blankly in idleness."

Rima sobered a little, but the smile remained slightly. Utau rolled her eyes - it wouldn't shock her a bit if the young gypsy boy and Rima fancied each other. _Love. _What was love anyway? A notion created by young people?

But…if one found the right person…love could be an extraordinary thing.

_Maybe._

She snorted at her thoughts and yanked herself back to the present. Nagihiko was trotting back dutifully, a triumphant look on his face. Kukai leaned closer to her ear and whispered "Those gypsies don't know what they're getting into."

He received a swift kick in the leg.

"They were very excited at your offer, Miss Utau. They accepted readily."

Utau wondered why the boy was being so polite. She knew better then to think that he was like this all the time, and was slightly suspicious. More than likely, he didn't want to offend Utau, but she was going to keep an eye out.

Just because Shartan couldn't come to the palace didn't mean he couldn't enter a gypsy camp.

**OooOooO**

Malcolm watched Princess Lulu have her dinner form the corner of the royal dining hall. He was with her at all times, though it was difficult to see. His eyes scanned the room, and outside the window he caught a glimpse of Hoshina Utau returning from wherever it was she went.

His eyes narrowed and he licked his chapped lips. Hoshina Utau, the girl that sang like an angel, had a great many secrets it seemed. Where she went all the time for instance. He knew that it was the forest, but what she _did _in that forest was more intriguing to him then anything else. There had been rumors about threats to the crown, and he wondered if Hoshina Utau was part of this.

No, he didn't think she was _the _threat to the crown, but he had a sneaking suspicion that she might - whether or not it was intentional - be a part of it.

Either way, she was more important then she knew. One of these days he was going to have to leave the Princess in the hands of someone else and follow her, just to see if someone else was also.

Hoshina Utau, was drastically important.

**OooOooO**

**I hope that was long enough! Sorry if I didn't sound quite like I do in my writing. You see, I've been reading a classic book and whenever I do that my writing sounds more proper then usual. Please leave a review!**


	16. The Truth is a Hard Thing to Steal

**I'm back, and nothing has changed so I still don't own Shugo Chara or any of the characters, but the story and writing is mine. Thank you all for your reviews!**

**OooOooO**

Utau Hoshina's eyes were bewitching. It was a fact that had been acknowledged by everyone in the castle, and if you hadn't seen her in person you simply took everyone else's word for it. They had a special glow as they burned with brightness and intelligence, and the way she could point them in a glare was nothing less then astonishingly remarkable.

They were admired by many (including an impish red head who was beginning to loathe the effect they were having on him) and were at times coveted by the petty palace higher ups.

Malcolm was interested in them not for the above reasons (although those reasons were very admirable) but rather for their color. The violet pair was unique in the fact that it was impossible, except for the one man that had saved his life those several years ago.

Hoshina. Malcolm doubted the validity of it being her real name. He had to find out more, about her secrets, about her past.

It wasn't honorable, but it had to be done.

**OooOooO**

Utau was part relieved, part happy, part humiliated, but mostly she was angry. She had gotten her hands on the old forest song the villagers used to sing on the holidays. With the gypsy music it would be lovely, but it needed to be longer. That wasn't a problem, she was well on her way to adding lyrics. But along the way she had began to realize just who she thought of when the love lyrics flowed.

She hated herself for feeling, couldn't stand the fact that she could not control this emotion that raged within her. It made her angry at herself, and even more livid because she couldn't find it within her to hate him for it. Even worse, she didn't know why she hated this feeling.

_But you do,_ a wicked voice whispered in her head. _He could never love you back. You are unlovable, untouchable. If he knew of your feelings he'd leave, leave you so fast that you couldn't even open your lungs up to say "Stop."_

"Quit." She muttered quietly. "Slow down, Hoshina. Slow down and take a breath. Don't be a pathetic girl who worships the ground that he walks on." It could never be that way for her.

"This is ridiculous. What am I saying?" She shoved all her work away from her and gave a garbled shriek.

The bells chimed in the distance. It was time to get ready for the stage. The Duchess of Lordenburg was visiting the Queen (apparently they were good friends, but Utau had noted that "friends" weren't really friends in the court) and Utau was used to the last minute callings for the late night performances.

Her hair was let loose and fell to her waist. She put on her second best dress - her best would be saved for the Princess's birthday. She flipped her hair in front of the mirror, put on her "stage" face and briskly started down the hall.

The maids and other various castle workers gave her wide berth as she walked purposefully down the hall. She was always grouchy before a performance, and she had once heard a gossipy maid whisper "Come performance time her talons come out."

_Ignore those people. _That's what she had always told herself. But she was feeling particularly…not un-friendly…warm? Forthcoming? Whatever it was she felt like she should say something, anything to relieve the looks

"I like the hair 'Tilda." 'Tilda McCrain looked at Utau warily and suspiciously. Utau felt uncommonly self conscious at such a look. In an attempt to dodge some misplaced guilt inside of her, she continued to hurry down the hall.

Leroy was waiting behind the stage. He was currently directing several dancers towards their place in line, where when the curtain went up they would begin to start. The acrobat dancers were the most popular in the court.

It was odd. Ever since she had met and been held captive by Shartan, Leroy Fitch never seemed scary or intimidating. Though his looks had never worked on her, they didn't hold any weight at all now. Leroy, though still an unfeeling and unsympathetic man, seemed rather sad and not at all cruel as she once thought. He was lost, and that was a word that Hoshina Utau knew better than any other (except for the word alone.)

_Perhaps we never got along because we're so similar. _She chuckled to herself. _That's stretching it a bit Hoshina._

Leroy caught her eye, and with an annoyed hand motion shooed his acrobats away. He waved for her to come over and she complied, noticing that he was beyond stressed and crabby. The old feeling of wanting to provoke him came rising up, and it was a little hard to smother it. Her brief feelings of sentimentalism seemed to only go so far.

"Utau, you're on in ten. The acrobats will be quick. You're singing "The Hills of Long Ago." You understand?"

Utau gave him a look. She had worked here so long that she knew all the songs like the back of her hand. Even if she hadn't practiced - which she had; she _always _practiced - she would have been able to sing it fine, granted though not quite up to court par.

"Right." He nodded, now more assured. "Cade is your other partner. He'll sing the male role. Now get out of my way, I have a singer who's sick and a comedian that has inconveniently disappeared. I'll have Martin's head if he doesn't get here within five minutes, and if he completely stands us up I'll -"

Utau walked away in the middle of the rant. Cade stood in the corner, eyes scanning the crowd. She almost always sang with him as his female co-partner. Almost. They were the best of their gender.

"Hey, Utau. How was your prolonged trip?" She and Cade hadn't spoken since she had returned. He was of course curious, but he should know by now that she wasn't going to answer. Still, she couldn't hold it against him.

"Fine." _Anything but. _"And how is Rosemary?"

The smile that lightened Cade's face was one that he only showed to people he trusted whole heartedly. Rosemary was his fiancé, and the only thing that the tight lipped Cade would talk about without stopping.

"She's wonderful. We'll be married within a few months. You got the invitation of course."

She didn't answer because they both on cue started walking and waited for the curtain to go up. It was show time, and there was nothing they knew better.

**OooOooO**

"Alright. I admit that usually this is something I wouldn't want to know - ever - but I can't help it. You have my curiosity."

Kukai looked up at her over his bowl of noodles. She hadn't eaten before the performance and though it was late she needed something otherwise she would be more than cranky tomorrow. And maybe a day or two after that.

"What, Princess?"

"What you did with the diamonds."

Kukai's choked a second on the noodles and looked up at her with some amusement. "Sorry, Princess. Ask me anything but that."

"Come on. Please? You trust me don't you?" She felt a twinge of guilt. The look on his face flashed hurt as if she had wounded him. It cleared soon, but it was there.

"You know I do, Utau. It's just that if someone ever found out that we were friends…and I was well…er…caught…you can honestly say that you don't know about the diamonds. Or much of my work."

"That's all noble and fine, but I really care not. I'll have to answer honestly, regardless of whether or not I know where they are. If they ask who you are, if I saw you in the castle, I'm going to say yes. So just tell me."

Kukai gave an annoyed grunt. "You're being pigheaded. That's exactly why I'm not telling you."

They slurped their noodles in silence a few moments, thinking about each others words. Utau was annoyed at his resistance, and he in turn was angry that she wouldn't give it a rest. It was for her own good. To save _her_ for pities sake, and she opposed it like not knowing was the same as being shackled.

"Look. You know I'd tell you if I truly thought it was worth it." Kukai finally muttered in a sort of attempt at an apology.

Utau nodded and let the topic drop. It was his secret to keep, and she was no thief. She couldn't steal the truth from his lips even if she were his breath, or some other piece of him that he needed to live. If Kukai couldn't share it willingly than she could do without.

"How did the concert go?" He was asking it just to fill up the tense and unhappy silence that had settled over them.

"It was good. No different from any other, I suppose. That is to say, we didn't do anything special."

"We?"

"Oh, you know. The other singers, and the manager, Leroy Fitch."

"Leroy Fitch?" Kukai asked with interest, eyes sparked suddenly with curiosity and no brooding anger that he had before displayed. She watched his reaction, suddenly reveling in the fact that she knew something he didn't (she kept this from him not because of revenge, no of course not.)

"Yes. What of him?" She craftily slurped her soup as if she hadn't noticed his obvious perk when he heard the name. She held back her smile easily. She had done these things before and it now came easy to her.

"You don't know? Leroy Fitch was part of the militia back during the war. He was an archer."

"We must thinking of two different people." Utau muttered with amusement. "Leroy Fitch is a…twinkle toes."

"What?"

"As I mentioned before, he's our manager. Doesn't get dirty. I can't see him in the militia."

Kukai slurped up some more noodles before answering. She was done with hers (she was certain she could beat him in a race, it was only a matter of time.) She shoved her bowl aside.

"Well?"

"I don't know Utau. You of all people should know not to judge by appearances, and here you are doing it."

It wasn't a shocking statement, but it got her attention. It was still hard to see Leroy as militia man fighting with a bow and arrows. She pictured it in her head. Leroy Fitch, young, and for reasons unknown in the militia (to serve his country? He had nothing left?) rose his way to a grand archer. Fought with men, saw them die, saw them in pain - suddenly she recalled scar that ran around his shoulder, that she'd only seen once when his shirt was loose. Did he settle down to forget it all, to run away from the memories and pain? Did he put down his bow for someone, for something?

Did he become a "twinkle toes" because it was so much different from the way he used to live? Or his precision, was that something he had picked up from his time? His roughness was suddenly explained, if it indeed was true.

That night Utau couldn't sleep. She couldn't sleep for all the ghostly people that roamed the walls of her heart asked her why someone who had done hardly anything to her had earned her contempt.

**OooOooO**

**I'm very sorry for not updating in so long! I may be a little slow because school has me TIED, but I'll try my best! Please leave a review!**


	17. A Chapter of Blood

**Oh my goodness, I am SOOOOOOOOOO sorry about my…well lazy, procrastination. And lack of time (excuses, excuses, I know.) Please forgive me! Now special thanks to my beta (you know who you are!) And to all who have reviewed. I thank you so much, and again I apologize. Several pivotal things happen in this chapter, so I hope you can also forgive the chaos.**

**OooOooO**

With light steps Malcolm walked into the forest. Following the erratic path of the blond before him had proven somewhat of a challenge - she had a distrustful personality that kept her alert at all times to people who could be following or watching. But he was skilled far beyond what she could catch. He had been trained for this. Had watched men who couldn't learn to walk in such a manner die choking on their own blood. His feet couldn't be loud if they had wanted too.

Utau stopped suddenly, an odd smile spread across her lips. She whirled to face a red headed boy that Malcolm previously hadn't noticed. His eyes narrowed. Then a smile played at his lips. Kukai Souma in the flesh.

"You heard me coming." Kukai said, eyes bright with playfulness, but voice slightly stricken with some disappointment. Malcolm studied him with the eyes of a hawk. Kukai looked so much older than the last time he had seen him. The boy was now a man, and most of his childlike features had disappeared.

"Of course I heard you coming. It sounded like an elephant was charging through the vegetation." Utau retorted, although as far as Malcolm could see the redhead had been nothing short of professional.

"Spare me, Princess. You are entirely in awe of my skill." He gave a cocky grin.

"Oh, yes. You most certainly have a skill for scaring off all the innocent creatures who were peacefully existing until they heard what could only be defined as a stampede of raving mad bison. It's quite impressive."

Malcolm felt his mouth quirk at the response. She knew him well. Somewhere along the way the thief had broken the ice and left her to thaw. Had gone past the cold, harsh and defiant nature that she exuded. This was remarkable in several different ways - that Utau had let him in, and that Kukai in turn had also let her know him.

"So…unbending." Kukai shrugged. "Alright. You told me you wanted to talk about something. Shoot."

A curious look flashed across her face a moment, some sort of mixture of frustration and longing. It passed just as quickly as it had come, like a sad wind that cooled the face only a moment before leaving elsewhere. It also seemed, Malcolm noticed, that anger laced the lines of her face after the previous look.

"Not anything particular, really. I just wanted to know if you were up for another round of noodle eating, that's all. But really," There was a slight hint of disapproval in her voice as she continued "I know that sometimes you're busy with your _career_, and I wouldn't want to interrupt you."

Kukai paused a moment, thinking and looking at her. His eyes showed concern, something Malcolm knew was rarely used for someone other than Kukai's own problems.

"Something is wrong. What is it?"

The moment was quick, and flighty, and almost seemed like it didn't happen at all. Kukai reached for her hand and took it, fingers intertwining with hers. After the deed had been done he looked at it, mixed emotions swirling in his face. Utau's countenance was also mixed, and he thought he saw her bite her lip with uncertainty. But she didn't pull her hand away from his.

"It's just that…" She faltered a moment. "Just that lately I've had this feeling like something bad is going to happen. Like something huge and unstoppable is coming and I'm in the middle of it. Trapped. I don't know, Kukai, I just know that something is coming and I'm not going to be able to stop it."

"What brought all this on?"

"Nothing." Utau pulled away from him. "It's just…Kukai…I think that this all has to do with you. With what you do. I think the bad thing is going to happen to you. I can't explain it, I just _know._"

Malcolm was suddenly feeling very invasive, despite knowing that his eavesdropping was meant to gather information. The exchange was just so personal, and he might have even left save that his interest was rekindled by their display of affection. How he had missed this earlier was beyond him.

"You don't need to worry about that, Princess. I'm good enough at what I do that they won't catch me." Malcolm gave a smile at this.

"You say that, but if you were caught? What would you do?" Utau was calm even in her moment of emotion. Malcolm was impressed. _She would have made a great soldier_, he thought ruefully.

"I'd hang." Kukai replied evenly. "Which is good incentive for not being captured." The half joke fell lifelessly around the three of them, although Malcolm remained unseen. He was fading back into the forest now. Through the brief conversation he had seen more than enough.

Perhaps it was time.

**OooOooO**

When Hoshina Utau returned to her quarters she was frustrated, annoyed, and irritated. But also incredibly worried. And to her misfortune, about more than one topic.

He had just shrugged of the ominous feeling that she had presented him like it had been nothing. A moody or weepy female moment, perhaps, nothing more than that. But she knew that he knew better. He was keeping it in. He was refusing to heed her warning despite it's validity. But why?

And then the block-headed idiot had to go on and wrap his fingers around hers. She could still feel where her skin burned with self-consciousness at his touch. Why couldn't this feeling present itself to her in a logical way? Politely knock on her door and say "I'm so terribly sorry, I don't mean to intrude or be of any inconvenience to you, but I just wanted to bring up the fact that I've been developing inside of you for some time now. I'm simply here to ask if you would like me to continue to grow, or die away, so that I don't cause you any needless pain that would interfere with your emotions."

No, Utau shook her head with a grunt, the feeling didn't come that way. It barged in, unannounced and uninvited, made itself at home and pronounced "I'm here to stay, like it or not. And also like it or not, I'll probably cause you great grief and great aching. I could also cause you bliss and harmony, but honestly these things tend to work out unpleasantly in matters of the heart, so if I had to pick I'd say the former is more likely than the latter."

Utau opened her wardrobe door with irritation, searching for her nightgown. It was then that she heard the slight "Ahem." It was soft, unobtrusive and almost in a way slightly discomfited. She whirled around, grabbing the large club she kept near her bed in her hand.

"You!" Her snarl sounded almost wild as she pointed her weapon at the interloper. Malcolm shifted uncomfortably, looking large and intimidating in the smaller room. He gave another cough. Utau poised to swing.

"Whoa there!" He caught it as it descended upon him, and easily disarmed her. She gave another snarl, more out of the fact that she had been disarmed and not out of fear.

"I just want to talk. Settle down there, Miss Spitfire." Utau continued to glare at him, painfully aware that he had the upper hand in this situation. His obvious training in combat, the fact that he could easily overpower her without a weapon, and the even more infuriating fact that he had a weapon. _Her _weapon.

"What do you want?"

"As I just said. To talk. A civil chat, if you would be so obliging." There was a dry humor in his words that reminded her of another man. One, she thought grouchily, who was never there when he would be of any use.

"This is coming from the man holding a club?"

"This is _your _club."

She couldn't argue that point. But she wasn't about to admit the truth to his statement.

"I suppose since you went to all this trouble we could have a brief exchange."

"You're really too kind."

Utau sat on the bed and watched as Malcolm pulled up a chair from the corner of the room. He dragged it across from her and plopped down, giving a relieved sigh. He was being expressive, something she hadn't seen from him before. She couldn't help but wonder if it was a routine he did for interrogations.

She eyed the chair and asked, "You plan on staying this long? Won't the Princess be missing you?"

"Doubtful. She loathes my observation perhaps more than you loathe prying. Which of course brings me to the nature of my business with you."

"Prying? You're going to pry?" She couldn't help but sound amused. If he wanted to play this game, he should know that he was going against the champ.

"Prying? No, that isn't my specialty. I'm more of an…onlooker. A witness, if you will. And while I was observing I happened to stumble across several things." He paused a moment, waiting for a reaction. None came. With a shrug he continued.

"Two secrets. Your secrets."

"You have my applause. Are you going somewhere with this, or did you just pay a visit so you could gloat?" Despite her show of indifference, Utau was unnerved. He had to know that she wasn't going to play a game of blackmail. Consequently she was at a loss of what exactly he wanted from her.

"First Secret: Your name isn't really Hoshina."

"That's not much of a secret. Most entertainers have stage names." Her stomach flip-flopped nervously.

"That may well be. But, my dear Miss Tsukiyomi," He didn't need to go any farther with his sentence. The name was enough for Utau give a slight and almost inaudible gasp of surprise. He smiled with satisfaction. Bingo. He'd found her.

Tsukiyomi Aruto's one and only child. The lost girl of the forest.

"I don't suppose you would answer me if I asked how you found my name. So I'll just skip that part. Rather, I wonder, what exactly is it that you want from me? My name isn't something that should be all that shocking." Other than the fact that he would have had to go great lengths to find it.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves. Perchance I just tell you a little story, and then we'll have question and answer time. Does that sound fair?"

"I see no objection to it."

"Wonderful. Now then, Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a war brewing between two countries. These two countries had had bad blood between them for years, dating as far back as to nine Royal Crowns on the throne, and beginning with a young, beautiful Princess who was stolen away and locked in the opposing country's tower. Is this starting to sound familiar?"

"Only just slightly."

"Good. To continue my tale, the two countries were about to enter into one of the largest, bloodiest wars of both of their histories. So large, it even reached it's filthy hands into the depths of the wooded forests in the country borders. There we find a small but loving family, with a Mother, Father, and very young daughter.

"But wars don't care about families. In fact, wars love to break them up. The Father (who happens to be a skilled violinist) decides it is his duty to his country to stand and fight. And besides, the father knows that eventually the draft will come around and his hand will be forced. Might as well join the Militia, and serve more freely, than the army and die in a trench with a dead man's letter in his breast pocket.

"So he kisses his darling wife goodbye, hugs his little child, packs his violin and few possessions into a bag and goes riding off into the sunset. And the darling wife and little child never see him again."

Utau could hardly breathe. She felt almost nauseous, cold and dead. This was it. Aruto Tsukiyomi, violinist and illusionist who disappeared without a trace.

"But just because he never sees his family again doesn't mean he just ceased to exist one day. So this man—shall we name him Aruto for the story's sake?—joined the Militia with seven other men. They became a group, a squad if you will, of archers. Four of them are now dead, and three of them still live today.

"They saw much during that war. They saw too much. And with every whiz of every arrow they became more and more detached, and also more and more sick with themselves. Writing home was unbearable. Impossible, especially for our main character, because there was no mail service where his house and family stood. And so he just kept shooting, hoping for the day when he could go home.

"Now lets skip several depressing chapters of blood and combat, and come to an interesting point in our story. One archer, by the name of Shartan, didn't come out of all this with a right heart. He became twisted. 'It's all the King's fault!' he would rant. 'We need to take this war to the next level!'

"One day he did. He up and packed his stuff and left the squad, taking four of us—excuse me, them—with him. It wasn't until a week later that one of the followers came back, badly wounded, to tell of his deeds. Shartan was killing off innocents from the other side, trying to take down the morale of the people. He was wanted for war crimes by his own King, and because of this, Shartan in his deranged mental condition had come to the conclusion that he was to be King; that the presiding was to be killed.

"His follower, one of the squad's own men, didn't find the killing right. So he went to Shartan and instead of a rational and logical talk, received a knife in his belly. He died, two days after relaying his story. It was then that Aruto, Leroy, and Malcolm decided to go and stop their comrade, even if it took taking his life.

"They arrived to a scene of a massacre. Prisoners of war—women, children—shot down by Shartan. The guards as well. There was only one boy left, one survivor, who because of his small and tiny size was able to escape the attack. Fortunately for this one child, the three men came just in time.

"As you can imagine there were words of peace, trying to stop their former friend from this path of destruction. He refused. There was no choice left but to fight. Three more died on his side, leaving him alone, besides the thugs that he had hired. Shartan then shot and arrow that had been intended for Leroy Fitch; the best archer. Straight towards his heart. And in a gallant act of friendship, Aruto Tsukiyomi threw himself in front of it.

"Shartan retreated, but for Aruto the damage had been done. He lay, dying on the ground and Leroy weeping like he'd never seen a man die before. So Malcolm and Leroy are trying to carry him to safety, lying to him and saying its going to be alright.

"But Aruto insists that no, it's not, and he knows that he's going to die. And he asks the two of them several things. To tell his family the truth of his death, and to send them his love. 'But first,' he says, 'Kill Shartan before he kills the King.'

"And he dies there, among all the others massacred. So his mates bury him there, and go back to find the young boy who survived. But they can't find him anywhere, and there isn't time to worry about one child when the King himself is in danger.

"They go, and they have to sneak their way into the palace, because who is going to let two blood soaked, dirt covered, rugged men with weapons into an audience with His Highness? And in the King's private chambers, with only a few arrows and a knife they stop the assassination."

Malcolm paused a moment. His eyes weren't as scary as she once thought they were. And even though they still looked dead, she could see that underneath the detached front they were full of pain and a searing grief that would never leave him.

"But I did a stupid thing." For the first time in the course of the story he purposely used his name.

"I had the chance to kill him. Shartan," he took a deep breath. "He'd done so much wrong, and not only did he deserve to die, he _had_ to. Otherwise he would keep killing innocent person after innocent person until he accomplished his goals, or every other human being on the earth was destroyed.

"But I couldn't do it. I had the chance, the golden opportunity, to take his life. All I could see was a fallen human, who would never again be able to really live. He was irreparably damaged. And I just couldn't kill something that I had the potential of becoming.

"So I let him go. We didn't any rewards from the King. The war was almost over anyway, and Leroy and I were just sick of the killing. Besides, there was a promise we had to fulfill, and homes to get back to.

"We found your home. It was abandoned, and we could tell that fighting had erupted there. We asked around and were told that the Tsukiyomi family was dead." He shrugged at Utau, eyes somewhat apologetic. "If its an consolation, Leroy and I were as thorough as we could have been. But your mother had a grave and you were nowhere to be seen…" His voice trailed off.

"You said you had homes you had to go back to. How did you end up here?" Utau felt in her heart that she knew the answer, despite her hope for the best.

"My tale isn't all that tragic. My home was simply destroyed and I had nowhere to go. Leroy, on the other hand, went back to his home where his fiancée waited for him. He was the only one who ever wrote home. When he arrived he found her dying from a wound a rebel had inflicted upon her. She didn't last a week."

"So you came to the castle."

"So we came to the castle. And now I protect the Princess, and Leroy watches everything secretly."

They let the quiet envelop them a moment. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was one that both of them understood, even though they had only really known each other for the span of half an hour.

Finally Utau spoke. "How did you know about me? You thought I was dead."

"Your eyes always haunted me, because they're the eyes of your father. But he was dead, and I knew no one else whose color was that vibrant purple." He gave a lopsided smile. "Plus, I've been keeping tabs of Shartan. Haven't caught him yet. He's tricky. But when you went missing at the same time he dropped off, I knew."

"Does Leroy know?"

"Leroy always suspected. Aruto giving his life for him had a lasting impact. When he saw you he told me that you were the daughter of Aruto, and nothing I could have said would have persuaded him otherwise."

"Why didn't he say anything?"

"He was protecting you. He was always protecting you. He pushed you to hate him because of the company he keeps, but he never, ever would have let anything happen to you. He loves you."

Utau's stunned silence caused Malcolm to chuckle.

"Not the way a man loves a woman. There are different types of love. He loves you the way he loves his brother soldiers. It's a deep love that goes past any other type of love humans can offer. I love you the same way."

_All this time, all these years, I DID have someone. _The revelation was too much. She could handle the truth that her father hadn't abandoned them, she could hear his sad tales, but the realization that no matter the efforts, no matter how hard you tried, that you couldn't escape _love _was too much. She felt the lump form in her throat and tears prick at her eyes, causing them to burn.

Malcolm ignored her small display of emotion, possibly because he knew she wanted it that way and possibly because such displays made him uncomfortable.

"It's my turn to ask you a question." Malcolm leaned forward in his chair, face inches from hers. "Why give up the name Tsukiyomi? Why keep your heritage a secret?"

"It's not really all that much of a secret. Just…necessity." Utau took a deep breath. "Life in the forest is so different from life here in cities, even in small towns. I was only eleven, and I hadn't been out of the forest but a few times, but I was thrust out on my own. I needed a stage name, and I had a desire to forget my past. It all worked out well."

"A new start."

"Yes."

"May I ask how your mother died?"

"You can ask all you want but I don't really have the answer. A broken heart, I think. Now, you said you figured out two of my secrets. You've only named one."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. He was slightly nervous about telling the next part, because he wasn't sure how she would react. He knew that she tempestuous and would often strike out violently in anger. He wanted to keep things calm and collected.

"I know about Kukai." It was best to just come out and say the words.

Utau flinched a moment. "Well, he's just a friend of mine. Not that important of a secret."

Malcolm smiled humorlessly at her. "You think I can't tell when someone is lying?" He shook his head. "Utau, Utau…I know that Kukai isn't just your friend, and I know that Kukai isn't just some boy either. Kukai is the Phantom Thief."

She could feel the color leave her face. Sudden visions of shackles and a noose entered her mind. If given the choice between imprisonment and death Kukai would pick death. He was too much like the wind—free and untamed—chains were something worst than death to someone like him.

"Relax. I've known that Kukai is the Phantom Thief for sometime now. I've been following his career rather closely, actually. _Your feelings for him were what was rather shocking. At first glance the two of you don't seem compatible at all, and yet when I thought about it, you fit perfectly. Two puzzle pieces whose edges match."_

"Who said anything about compatibility?" Utau ran her tongue over her lips, nervously. Her feelings couldn't be exposed. She'd lose Kukai if he knew. The love she felt was only her own. She knew that he would run if it was not reciprocated.

"Haven't you been listening? I know when you're lying. You love Kukai—from what I can see, somewhat passionately—and there's no weakness in that, you know. Even cold blooded killers fall in love. Shartan did at one time."

"You won't tell anyone about Kukai?"

"Not a soul."

Malcolm dragged the chair back to its original position, and started for the door.

"Thank you." The words were ones she didn't use often; mainly because few people offered help to her. Not that she could blame them, she thought with a sad smile. Malcolm tipped his head at her, and exited the room.

**OooOooO**

That night the wind howled ferociously, crying to the sky over some unnamed misfortunes. Kukai stared out at the city from the housetops. Tonight was big. Tonight he couldn't afford mistakes.

With feet more silent than a cat's, he crept into the mansion.

They were waiting for him, swords already drawn, faces certain and smug. He didn't have time to blink before the words "Phantom Thief, you are under arrest for theft against the High Crown…"

There was no escape. And they were upon him.

**OooOooO**

**As I said, sooooooo sorry about the lateness. Hopefully the length made up for it. Again, I want to thank my beta, and all who have reviewed. And for a friendly hint - neither Leroy or Malcolm turned Kukai in - than who? **


	18. Chiaroscuro

**hanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys really don't know how encouraging you are. Your words are very kind. And thanks to my beta. Let's hope I won't be such a procrastinator next time, shall we? One last thing: I am not a song writer, or an author of poems. I don't say this out of any annoying false modesty - I really can't, and if I do they aren't exactly a delightful read. However, it seemed tacky not to have at least **_**some **_**of Utau's song. I'm just giving you a fair warning. I can write a little free verse, but anything with rhyme, rhythm, or meter is totally beyond me. Forgive the lameness. I stole a lyric from the song "O, No we never mention him," so all rights to that lyric belong to whoever wrote it and all that. I didn't have any part in that lyric. Haha, you'll be able to tell that it's not mine because it's good.**

**OooOoo**

When the rumors started to circulate, Utau wasn't especially worried. Untrue mutterings had always spread across the castle, and the only kind anyone ever listened to were the absurd ones. The Queen had run off with the Duke of Chaimbs, the Princess wasn't really the Princess, and there was still a theory that the King and Queen had spawned a boy who had fifteen toes.

The rumor that the Phantom Thief had been caught was one that held little humor for her, yes, but it still had to just be a rumor.

Kukai was too good to get caught. He had made his way into the very depths of the castle, for crying out loud, a simple job wouldn't have tripped him up. It was gossip. Mindless chit chat. None of it could be true.

But the next day, when Utau made her annual visit to the woods he wasn't there. Not amongst the trees. Not in his thieves house, which was empty and bare. She stayed there two hours. There was no sign of him.

"_What if you were caught? What would you do?"_

"_I'd hang."_

No, no, _no. _

Utau knew that she was a realist, and just this once she desperately wished she had been born optimistic. That she could plunk her head down in the sand, that she could see the silver lining in every single silly rain cloud that came down to haunt her.

But she wasn't. Instead she was brutally honest with herself. There was no denying the truth. There was no use in pretending like it wasn't so. He had failed. Made a mistake. Blundered. Misstep. Error. Fault. Whatever word you preferred didn't matter, it was all the same. He was breathing, sure, but he might as well be dead.

Thieves who stole royal possessions didn't get pardoned. They weren't locked in the dungeon.

He would hang, pure and simple.

**OooOooO**

"The song is done."

Leroy Fitch looked up from the papers on his desk. He had heard her come in, of course, but he hadn't said anything. He wanted to let her initiate the conversation. He wasn't entirely certain on what it was that she was here for. She was so fickle and moody - too difficult to pin down. It was best to let her do things her own way.

"Let's have a look at it." He read it over, trying to piece it together in his head.

Utau watched somewhat uncomfortably. Although it should have been one of the more minor things to think about, she couldn't help but wonder at how easily he didn't miss a beat. Malcolm had to have told her that she knew - and yet Leroy regarded everything in the same professional and detached manner that he had exuded before. Truly remarkable.

"It'll do." He handed it back to her with little emotion. She knew that Malcolm had said that he had a sort of brotherly love for her, but she just couldn't see it. Everything about Leroy was cold and prickly, and nothing about him gave one the impression of warmth and comfort.

For a second she wished she hadn't judged him so quickly and had gotten to know her better. He'd had a fiancée once. Had a life before the war. Had known her father. She wondered what stories he could tell?

"Yes?" Leroy asked in question of her presence still in his room.

"Just…Thank you."

"For what?"

"You know."

She exited the room.

**OooOooO**

Kukai Souma stared blankly at…well nothing really. The dungeon was really everything you would expect it to be. Cold, damp, and smelly. And very dull. Incredibly drab.

"It's a blue moon." The man in the cell next to him mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me right. It's a blue moon."

Kukai could barely make out the mans features in the dim lighting. As the sun began to dim the dungeon would become black as blood and extremely hard to see through. It was almost like the dark was a presence rather than a lighting, more of a mood to fit the oppressive atmosphere.

He'd been here a long time, Kukai thought, making out a long beard and hair on the mans head.

"Blue moons don't exist. That's just a saying." Kukai could feel the shackles rubbing his skin raw. He remembered the same feeling back when he was younger, before Shartan had come and massacred everyone.

"Says you. I know they exist." The fellow prison dweller said this with confidence.

Kukai decided against arguing. Nothing seemed very important right now. Not even finding Shartan and killing him - he had hated that creature for so long, had let his hate fester. But after he had met Utau it had simmered down a little bit. Now it seemed silly and pointless.

There was a merry music sound from above them. Kukai glanced up.

"I don't know how or why, but the ball room noise can be heard from down here." The bearded man said. "A little comfort for those who live in this place."

"Oh, will you shut up?" A voice called from somewhere. "Some of us is tryin' taa get some sleep."

Kukai ignored the unseen man and said "So you're saying that you can hear all the ballroom music down here?"

"That's what I'm saying."

"Have you ever heard Utau Hoshina?" It was a long shot. He doubted if her voice was that powerful, or that the man knew her name. Still…he had never heard her sing. It was the oddest thing - to fall in love with the greatest singer in a hundred years and never hear her voice lifted in song.

"Oh, yes. I didn't know who she was for a while, but a man was brought down here once and told us her name was Hoshina. Her voice ain't like nothing I ever heard in this life."

"What happened to the man."

"Oh, he got dragged up to court and never came back."

Kuaki could feel an eerie chill creep its way up his spine. He should stop talking. He would have gone to sleep except there was the chance that he would hear Utau.

"I never told her," Kukai muttered unhappily, mostly to himself.

"Eh?"

"I never told her that I loved her,"

"Well, sonny, that's the real crime isn't it?"

"Will you two shut it? I don't care about yer lady problems! What's a guy gotta do taa get some sleep round here?"

The music was slower now, but still bouncy. Kukai stared out at the darkness. He could just barely see the jailer, who was sleeping soundly. There probably hadn't been a jailbreak in years, and he'd grown complacent. If only Kukai could find something to pick his shackles open with. Then he'd really be cooking.

It was rather impossible when he _was _shackled, which he supposed was the entire point.

An hour passed on by and several singers gave lovely little songs. It should have been nice, but down on the cold floor Kukai only found it eerie.

Then came Utau's song. He knew it was hers - it had to be. It was the music she had written, and it just sounded like her. Everything about it screamed Utau. He could almost hear her cold sarcasm, her eyes that smiled when her lips didn't. He could hear the gypsy music that she had wanted.

"_It really wasn't long ago_

_That winter was burning in freezing snow_

_When summer suddenly found his way in_

_And brought winter back to life again_

_And that I think was when_

_Winter then started to kiss the wind"_

Kukai felt a lump form in his throat. He wasn't going to cry, but the lump always formed when he got emotional. She truly was great. Everyone was right, there was just something haunting and gripping about her voice. He couldn't have not listened if he had wanted too.

"_Kissing the Wind_

_Kissing the wind_

_I'm afraid once you start _

_There's no stopping you then_

_Kissing the Wind?_

_How absurd they say_

_Mayhap_

_Mayhap_

_She's crazy today_

_But they can't understand_

_And never they will_

_How one day summer_

_Met Winter's chill"_

He had never told her. But then, she had never told him, had she? They were both too unsentimental. Yet, here he was all lumpy throated like a little kid.

"_Kissing the Wind_

_Kissing the Wind_

_I'm afraid once you start _

_There's no stopping you then_

_Then I learned of a terrible lie_

_And a saddened heart kissed you goodbye_

_I realized_

_I realized_

_I was kissing the wind._

_For oh! there are so many things recall the past to me,_

_The breeze upon the sunny hills, the billows of the sea,_

_The rosy tint that decks the sky before the sun is set;_

_Ay every leaf I look upon forbids me to forget._

_Kissing the Wind_

_Kissing the Wind_

_I'm afraid once you start _

_There's no stopping you then"_

As the song ended Kukai was sure he could see some sort of bluish light coming from the outside, dimly lighting his small cell.

**OooOooO**

It took almost half a minute for the audience to start applauding. They had remained in silence for several moments, taking in the song. Then they had found that amidst all the chaos of the party they had really liked the silence. But no applause wouldn't do, and many called out "encore!"

Utau was already gone. They didn't realize what she had put before them. Her heart, all four valves, in song form.

She didn't feel like sticking around.

"Utau."

She turned to see Malcolm, slightly pale and haggard looking. He moved towards her quickly and muttered "Walk with me." She struggled to keep up with his brisk pace.

"What's the matter?"

He didn't answer. His face was locked on a figure ahead of them, silhouetted by the window. The moon had an almost bluish or lavender tint to it, Utau thought. And then the figure became a man as he stepped towards them.

"I'm too late," Malcolm hissed. He stepped in front of her, muscles coiled in anticipation.

"Run, Utau." His words sunk in, but she couldn't make her legs move. She just stared at that horrid hawk nose, those black eyes that made something rattle in her bones.

_You have the same eyes, you know._

"_Run," _Malcolm yelled ferociously. He turned to face her, and she saw that his eyes were ready for the fight, on fire and spitting rage.

Shartan didn't wait for him to turn around. He ran over and slammed a club into Malcolm's head. Utau started to run.

Behind her she could hear him. "You're out of practice."

There was a grunt from Malcolm and then another crashing sound.

She couldn't look behind her. She couldn't stop running.

**OooOooO**

**Thanks! Sorry for it taking so long, and I know it was short. But hope it was acceptable. **


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